Slayers in the 'Verse
by Whedonista93
Summary: Willow's spell rendered the Slayers and Watchers immortal. More than 500 years later, the last truly called Slayer faces two blasts from the past, a vampire ally and a man she loved. The Powers that Be aren't done with the Slayers yet. Originally posted on Ao3 under the same pen name and title.
1. Earth-that-Was

**Summer 2003, Cleveland, Ohio**

"Yo, B! Check it!" Faith called.

Buffy spun her head in the direction her companion indicated. Across the park, leaning against a tree was a young woman maybe a year or two younger than Buffy and Faith. A riot of sandy colored curls fell around her face and over her shoulders as her solemn grey eyes focused on the group of mini-Slayers carefully following Robin's martial arts training.

Buffy turned back to Faith, "Friend of yours?"

"Nope." Faith popped the end of the word a bit.

"I'm thinking we should introduce ourselves."

Faith grinned, "Five by five."

She was so engrossed in the group across the park that she didn't notice the blonde approaching her until she was nearly on top of her. Turning to flee she was immediately blocked by a grinning brunette. With her back against the tree and one on each side, she was trapped. But for some reason, the usual flight or fight (and honestly, it was usually fight for her) wasn't there. Power emanated from the two women, more strongly than any of the girls across the park, standing in front of her. Somewhere in her brain, she knew it should frighten her, but instead, she felt strangely comforted.

Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two women, who were now sharing a confused look. The brunette looked her up and down before finally breathing out a single word, "Damn."

She finally found her voice, "Can I help you?"

The blonde perked up, "Oh! Us with the rudeness. Sorry. I'm Buffy, this is Faith."

"Okay? Again, can I help you?"

Faith spoke up, "Why are you here?"

"It's a park. Public property."

Faith laughed, "I like this one."

Buffy tried, "You're not from around here, are you?"

"Neither are you by the looks of it."

Buffy shrugged, "Southern California."

Her eyes widened before she could stop them. Her last stop before Cleveland had been the crater that used to be Sunnydale, "Well, that's nice. Still haven't told me what you want with me."

"You were watching our group." Faith interjected.

She shrugged, "It's interesting."

"Probably the only interesting thing in this shithole. So what brought you here?"

"Just followed the pull." She answered absently as she watched the group again. Then she realized what she'd said, "Shit. That sounded crazy."

Faith and Buffy shared a bemused glance.

She lost her patience, "What the _hell_ is going on?!"

Buffy smiled, "You're a Slayer."

"A what?"

"We need Giles. Come with us."

Still not quite understanding why she was trusting these women, she followed.

"Oh shit! You never did tell us your name." Faith looked at her.

"Legacy."

Faith chuckled, "Is there some rule that Slayer's can't have normal names?"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Giles, Slayer spiel, please."

Giles fought the urge to roll his own eyes and turned his attention to Legacy, "'Into every generation a slayer is born: one girl in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number. She is the Slayer.' Of course, that's not exactly the case anymore. Originally, the new Slayer was called when the previous Slayer died. Buffy died, temporarily, when she was sixteen."

"I drowned." Buffy offered helpfully.

Giles went on, "She was revived. But not until after Kendra had already been called. Kendra was killed by Drusilla, a vampire, thus calling Faith. The rest of you were given your power by a spell a few months ago, initiating every girl who ever might even potentially be a Slayer – activating her power."

Legacy bit her lip, "A few months ago?"

Giles nodded.

"Uh… hate to put a chink in your story, but… you sure you don't mean a few years?"

All three heads snapped in her direction.

She recoiled a bit, but her voice was steady, "The whole Slayer thing explains a lot of what I've run into. I'm guessing monsters are drawn to the challenge or something?"

Buffy nodded.

"Okay, but, uh… well, I've been at this three, four years now."

Buffy and Faith looked to each other, then to Giles, confusion clear on their faces. Giles was just as confused, and shook his head. Silence rang out for a few minutes before Faith's head snapped back toward Legacy, "Three or four years?"

Legacy nodded.

"When, exactly?"

Legacy shrugged, "Closer to four is the best I can give you. My life kinda went down the crapper around then, so it's all kind of a blur."

Faith bit her lip, "Uh, I think I may be to blame for this one. Well, B's to blame, but I'm the one who died."

"What?!" Buffy exclaimed.

Faith almost looked sheepish, "I, uh… kinda flat-lined at one point when I was in that coma… or so I was told."

Buffy paled, "So I did kill you."

"So not permanent! And long established that I deserved it!"

Buffy didn't look convinced, but let it drop.

Giles seemed to be talking to himself, "Fascinating… four years. Yet no Watcher found…" realizing he was muttering to himself, Giles looked back to Legacy and spoke at a normal volume, "If Faith's theory is correct, and I see no reason to doubt it, then you're the last of the truly called Slayers. Your power will easily be on par with Faith and Buffy's. I just can't imagine how you survived four years in this life with no Watcher."

Legacy shrugged, "Just got lucky, I guess. I took martial arts and dance from the time I could walk. The first couple times a vamp attacked me I was caught off guard, but not too long after it all started I managed not to kill one and he spilled the dirt on the not-so-fun uglies that go bump in the night. Still didn't know why the hell I could take them out, but they kept coming, so I made it work."

Giles shook his head in amazement, "Well, I certainly think it's time you learned the how's and the why's, if you're interested."

Legacy nodded enthusiastically.

"Welcome to the club, then." Faith punched her on the arm and Legacy had to withhold her wince, she wasn't used to anyone else being as strong as her, "Let's find you a bunk."

**Fall 2003, outside London, England**

Legacy was hanging upside down, knees hooked over a bar, in the basement gym they'd set up under the manor that was now serving as Council headquarters. Faith was hanging next to her. Both had books in hand. It had become a competition to see who could hang upside down longer without getting a bloody nose, and so far it was a stale-mate.

"Bleeding yet, Lace?" Faith asked.

"In your dreams." Lacey, that's what most everyone was calling her these days, and she actually kind of like it, snarked back.

"Don't need dreams for that, just a sparring mat." This was an ongoing joke. Neither could best the other, because Faith didn't have Lacey's martial arts background, and Lacey didn't have Faith's down and dirty style, or the extra experience. They were teaching each other.

Lacey dropped her book to the ground, knowing Giles and Willow would both be furious if they saw her treatment of the old tome, but she was _not_ getting off that bar, and she was tired of trying to focus on demon histories. She took to scanning the room instead. The mini-Slayer's were scattered through the room, sparring or just talking. Lacey was still amazed at how many of them there were. Suddenly, a number of the girls squealed and bolted toward the door, tackling someone who had just entered. About a minute later, a very fine specimen of man stood amidst the chattering girls. His tall, well-muscled frame was wrapped in worn denim and leather, his feet clad in motorcycle boots. Dark hair fell around his face and one chocolate-brown eye glanced over the room. The eye-patch covering the other gave him an air of mystery and danger that worked for him. His easy posture and relaxed grin gave Lacey the impression he didn't have a clue what a tempting picture he was.

Without taking her eyes off him, Lacey asked Faith, "Who's the eye candy?"

Faith lowered her book and looked toward the door, beaming when she saw him and yelling across the room, "Xan-man!"

Tall, Dark, and Handsome immediately shook the mini's off and headed in their direction.

He stopped in front of them and eyed Faith, "Are you in training to be a bat?"

Faith snorted and smacked his abs.

"Ow, with the Slayer strength. I ditched the mini's loving just to be abused?"

Faith winked, "You know abuse from the real deal's better than love from the back-up."

He would have been offended for the mini's if he didn't know she was joking. He shrugged, "Maybe, but with you I can never tell the difference between abuse and lovin'."

Faith laughed.

"Seriously, I don't even get a welcome hug?"

Faith seemed to consider for a moment before turning her head toward Legacy, "Draw for now?"

Legacy considered refusing, just because she could, but she'd rather get a proper introduction to the hunk currently watching them, so she shrugged, "Fine. On three."

Faith dropped into a handstand and Lacey did a flip. Faith flipped her off, "Show off."

Faith stood and stretched before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around the guy. Finally, they turned to Lacey.

He smiled at her, "Who's the newbie?"

"Not exactly a newbie." Lacey corrected.

Xander looked confused.

Faith answered, "Long story short, remember that coma? Well, I died for a bit. Lacey was called. She'd the real deal. Almost four years now. No one knows why she never had a Watcher."

Xander seemed to take it in stride, "Oookay, then."

Xander stuck his hand out, and Lacey reached to shake it automatically.

"Lacey, this is Xander. Xander, this is Lacey. She thinks you're hot."

Faith shot Lacey a cheeky grin and Lacey glared at her back as she sidled away.

**Fall 2004, Africa**

Xander's eye kept drifting down the village street to where Lacey was single-handedly battling 4 vamps in the main square. He had just dispatched one of his own and was chasing another one who was heading toward Lacey. He knew Lacey could handle herself; she was just as strong and fast as Buffy and Faith and when it came right down to it, she was a better fighter (not that he'd ever tell the girls that, because they all will forever be better than him, and he can handle pain, but that doesn't mean he seeks it out.)

He finally overtook the vamp, tackling it to the ground and staking it as it rolled, but before it could spring up. Standing and dusting himself off, he turned his gaze back toward Lacey just in time to watch her take out two of her vamps in one clean spin and using the distraction to leap behind a third and stake it. Down to one. Xander shook his head, he didn't know what he'd been so worried about. Scanning down the village streets, Xander watched their group of minis efficiently taking out vamp after vamp and smiled.

His gaze returned to Lacey just in time to watch her behead the last vamp and notice another readying to leap off the roof above her head.

"Ace! Up!" he called frantically, eye widening as she turned her gaze up just for it to land right on top of her. He darted across the square, but the panic rising in him didn't get the chance to take over as he watched the vamp turn to dust on top of her, her stake in a white-knuckled grip as she glared furiously at the cloud of dust.

Xander laughed as he offered a hand to pull her up. He laughed because if he didn't laugh, he would cry. Lacey grasped his hand and let him pull her up and tightly against him.

Later that night, he held her just as tightly against him as they lay in bed. He hadn't said anything to her since the village, but she was used to it. He would talk when he was ready. She snuggled closer to him and thought back, as she often did, to how easy it had been to fall for him. The day she had met him was the first day she'd beat Faith on the sparring mat (she'd had to get her back somehow), but later she'd thanked the other Slayer. Xander's easy wit and unassuming charm had pulled her in as surely as her sarcasm and wounded past had drawn him to her. They'd hardly been apart since the day they met. When Xander's month of R&R had been over, Lacey had gone with him back to Africa. They had decided there were enough minis being found there that it was worth sending one of the true Slayers to train them. Lacey's bag had been packed before anyone else could volunteer. Buffy and Faith had exchanged a knowing look that made Lacey's regret over the hair-dye infused shampoo she had left in their shower immediately vanish.

"That was a close one." Xander mumbled against her neck, pulling her from her reverie.

"I'm still here, Xan." Lacey whispered against his hair.

He held her even tighter, as if to prove that to himself, "I know, but –"

She pulled back to look him in the eye, "But nothing, Xan. I'm here. Our work is dangerous. You are in just as much, if not more danger, than me every time we go out. You think I don't worry about you? But this is what we do. There will always be close calls."

"And one of these days, it'll be too close."

"Xan, I'm not gonna leave you like she did."

He gave her a sad smile, "You can't promise that."

"You're right, I can't. But neither can you. But we can damn well put a hell of an effort into it."

He smiled at her for real then and she leaned forward to kiss him as his grip tightened on her again.

**Spring 2006, Cleveland, Ohio**

The chaos of battle rang out loudly. Buffy was on one side of the warehouse, firing a crossbow with one hand and swinging a sword with the other. Spike was beside her, gleefully vamped out as he tore apart anything that came near. On the other side of the warehouse Faith and Robin fought back to back, each wielding some kind of spear. Willow and Dawn were on the catwalk above the middle of the warehouse, Kennedy standing guard on one side of them and two other minis on the other, working a spell to close the Hellmouth back up. Scythe in hand, Lacey spun around, her arms making a wide arc with deadly accuracy, as she fought her way toward where Xander and a group of minis were defending the stairs leading up to their spell casters.

They had known a cult was planning on opening the Hellmouth – it's why they were all back in Cleveland – but their timeline had been off, it had been open by the time their little Army had arrived. The warehouse over it had already been swarming Turok-Han, who had apparently made friends with a large pack of Hell Hounds.

Lacey swung the Scythe, decapitating on of the übervamps then ducking to avoid a lunging Hell Hound. As she straightened, she suddenly felt a piercing pain through her left shoulder. Xander's panicked face was the last thing she saw, and the fact that she was breaking her promise was the last thought she had, before there was a blinding green light followed by nothingness.

**Spring 2008, outside London, England**

Buffy and Faith gripped their swords tightly, even as they flinched away from the blinding flash of light making itself known on the back lawn of the Council manor. As it died down, both women blinked in disbelief. There, standing before them looking exactly as she had two years ago, Scythe still gripped in her hand, was Legacy.

Lacey had quite promptly passed out, only vaguely registering Buffy and Faith standing before her. Now she groggily fought toward their voices. Opening her eyes, she found herself in her old room at the Council manor, Buffy and Faith propped up on either side of her feet at the end of the bed.

Faith noticed her first, "Heya Lace! How ya feelin'? You've been out for two days."

Lacey groaned, "Like I've been hit by a train. How the hell did I get here?"

"We were hoping you could tell us." Buffy answered.

Lacey pulled herself into a sitting position and shrugged, "Last thing I remember was fighting to close the Hellmouth in Cleveland back up."

Buffy's eyes widened.

Faith made a choking sound, "Lace… that was two years ago."

Lacey paled, "Two years?"

Buffy nodded, "One of the übervamps stabbed you from behind with something, and you just vanished. We thought you were dead… Wound still looked fresh when you popped up here."

At the reminder, Lacey's shoulder started to throb in pain. She looked down and reached up to gingerly pull aside the bandage. Thanks to her Slayer healing, it was already just a scar, albeit a fresh one. It was less than an inch above her heart.

"How?" Lacey asked.

Buffy shrugged, "Willow and Giles are trying to figure it out. Weirder things have happened, and you're here now, so I don't think we're that worried about it."

Lacey nodded and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall. Closing her eyes just brought back Xander's face, though, with the panicked look he'd been wearing when she last saw him, two years ago, apparently, and she sat back up quickly, "Where's Xander?"

Buffy's eyes filled with tears and Faith swallowed nervously. The panic must have shown on Lacey's face, because Faith leaned forward and grabbed one of her hands.

Her voice cracked as she squeezed Lacey's hand, "Lace… Xan-man… he… he's gone, babe. Demon got him in Africa just over a month ago."

Lacey felt the tears start to fall, and let her sister Slayers hold her together as her world fractured into pieces.


	2. The 'Verse

**Verbena, January 2519**

It had taken less than 10 years to realize the side effects of Willow's activation spell with the Scythe. Over 500 years later, it was blatantly obvious how far those side effects had reached. The Slayers didn't age. Neither did the Watchers, for that matter. They could still be killed, and many had been, but the core of the Scoobies had all lasted the centuries. Well, not all. Xander's absence was still a physical ache for Legacy.

At five-hundred-and-thirty-something years old, she barely looked a day over twenty-three. The same could be said for Buffy and Faith. They weren't sure how the magic had chosen who the Watchers were; Giles was perpetually the fifty-something English gentleman, Willow and Dawn had made the cut, as had Robin and Andrew. Occasionally someone even ran into Oz, though it had been almost a hundred years since anyone had seen him last – and his survival could possibly be attributed to the whole werewolf thing. The best they could figure, anyone who had spent any more than a couple weeks researching or patrolling with the Scoobies had been counted as a Watcher.

It had been a surprise to them all that humanity was the downfall of Earth in the end. They had all expected yet another demonic apocalypse, but humans had just used the planet up. So they left with everyone else on the exodus from Earth, because the monsters did too, and it was still their job to fight them.

They had settled on Verbena. They kept a large ranch, and people were good at letting them have their privacy. Minis were spread throughout the Verse. New minis continued to appear over the years, but only those who had been directly touched by the Scythe spell back on Earth were graced with immortality, the new ones had slightly extended lifespans, but lived and died per usual. Regardless, they were still found and told of their heritage and trained. It was interesting, though. The 'Verse was so much bigger than Earth had been, yet the number of Minis never really grew proportionally.

The Slayers kept their eyes on things. Willow had helped develop half the technology the Verse used, so it wasn't hard to keep a line on things. The Miranda wave stirred up the first real excitement since the Unification War. It took some doing, though, even for Willow, to track down the broadcast. Eventually, she tracked it back to a 'Mr. Universe'. They'd snuck into his compound. "They" being Legacy, Faith, and Buffy. Even they, the oldest Slayers, were amazed at the evidence of the battle that had taken place. They'd gotten the name Mal and something about a sword off a fembot, which Buffy then promptly destroyed, muttering the whole time about the old Buffybot.

Now they were home and arguing about what to do with the information.

Giles was being logical, "It really doesn't concern us. Certainly, the Reavers are monsters, but apparently man-made monsters. That's not exactly our area of expertise."

Buffy responded historically, "Adam was a man-made monster. The Initiative was government. Humans. We took them on."

Faith was curious, "I just want to know how they got to Miranda. That's a hell of a lot of Reavers to go through."

Dawn was irritated, "I don't see why we can't just leave it alone. Trouble finds us on its own. Why should we go looking for more?"

Andrew, as always, was trying to placate with food, "Who wants roast for dinner? I made fresh bread, and I can whip up a pound cake for dessert."

Robin chose not to have an opinion this time around, "What do you think Lacey?"

Lacey knew he only asked her because he and Faith were having some sort of tiff and it annoyed the hell out of her when he asked Buffy or Lacey's side of an issue, and she couldn't help but smile as she answered. "I think we should leave it be for now. See how the Alliance reacts before we get involved."

Willow looked at her curiously, "You think that's what we should do, but that's not what you're gonna do."

It wasn't a question. Willow had gotten really good at reading Legacy over the years. Willow was the one who had gotten her over losing Xander, and it had bonded them. Spike had helped too, more than she would ever admit to anyone. She didn't think anyone realized what a lasting effect losing Buffy had, had on him, but it made it easy for him to relate to Lacey.

Legacy shook her head, "I'm leaving for Persephone in the morning. I'm not particularly looking for these folks, but I won't be disappointed if I find them. I've been on the ranch too long, I need to get back out into the Verse."

Willow nodded, "I'll start working up some protection spells and helpful trinkets."

She got up and left before the table erupted in overlapping voices. Someone leaving the ranch was always debated, no matter how often it happened. Legacy decided to follow Willow's example and just walk away. She had to pack, anyway.

**Persephone, June 2519**

The docks had been busier than usual, and Lacey was grateful this bar was relatively quiet. The usual rowdiness of a weekend and hustled pool games, but the place was only about half full, had halfway decent beer, and they played good music. Her stool had a good view of the door and she carefully analyzed everyone who came through it. A dark skinned woman dressed in leather with a riot of dark curls to rival Lacey's light ones glided up to the bar and sat around the corner from Lacey. Lacey noticed she used the mirror behind the bar to watch the door as she ordered a drink. The woman tracked a real big guy in real goofy orange hat as he made his way casually to the other end of the bar. The process was repeated as more people entered the bar. A tall man with brown hair and blue eyes, standing straight in his brown coat, came in with a little slip of a girl with big brown eyes and long, dark hair. A niggling sense of recognition edged at her brain in a manner that Lacey recognized meant it was memory of the Slayer collective, and not necessarily her own, but she dismissed it for the time being. Shortly following them was some city dandy and a girl with friendly brown eyes and grease smudged on her cheek. After everyone was settled, the woman relaxed a bit.

The big guy in the goofy hat had spent the time critically running an eye over everyone else in the bar. Legacy noticed when his gaze finally landed on her and turned to a leer. She turned her own gaze directly to him and raised an eyebrow. He had the smarts to look away, but he kept glancing back in her direction. She hid her smirk in her beer. He wasn't a bad-looking guy. A little rough, sure, but that didn't bother her. His grey-blue eyes could pull a girl in easy if he knew how to use them for something other than a leer. She just wasn't interested tonight. She hadn't spent the last 500 years alone, but there had never been anything serious since Xander, it just didn't feel right to give anyone else that much of herself.

Roughly an hour later, the whole group she'd been watching convened into one big booth. Whatever business they'd had concluded, it was apparently safe to be seen together. _Clever_, Legacy thought, _Don't let them know how much backup you've got._ She wasn't sure why she was so fascinated by the group.

After another couple drinks, Lacey let herself be enticed to dance by some sweet local. After a good half hour of dancing she collapsed into a chair at a table just next to the group she'd been so intrigued by all night. If anyone asked, she'd say it was just a coincidence. Anyone who knew her would laugh at that. Truth was she was nosy as hell. She signaled the bar tender, and within a minute had another beer in front of her as she settled back into her chair to eavesdrop.

The city dandy and the sweet-looking girl were on the dance floor, clearly not interested in anything but each other. The little waif of a girl was happily dancing with anyone within reach.

The leather-clad woman was talking, "I don't know, Captain. I don't like the numbers."

The big guy grunted, "Me 'n' Vera oughta count as two."

'Captain' sounded agitated, "Jayne, your mouth is talking again. Fix it. Zoe, I don't like it none too much either, but we need the job."

"Yes sir." Zoe sounded resigned.

The younger girl seemed to tire of dancing and spun off the floor, stopping dead as she locked her eyes on Legacy. Standing so close, it hit her like a ton of bricks, and Lacey dropped her beer, possibilities flashing through her mind as she shot to her feet. Lacey was aware of the three people also standing, hands on weapons, as her gaze locked with the girl's. Suddenly the young woman smiled brilliantly and all but threw herself at Legacy, who caught her instinctually and held her tight.

"The girl knew you would come." the girl said as she stepped back, releasing Lacey.

Lacey smiled at her and heard a throat clear. She turned with the girl to face the three people standing just outside the booth, hands still on weapons.

"Friend of yours, River?" the captain asked the girl.

The girl, River, smiled brightly as she shook her head, "She is here to help."


	3. Finding Serenity

**Persephone, June 2519**

River's pronouncement had led to the captain quickly ushering everyone back to his ship. _Serenity_, Lacey noted. So the captain really was a Browncoat in every sense of the word. Everyone was gathered in the cargo bay, empty crates serving as seats. The group from the bar had been joined by an old Shepherd and a young Companion. Lacey eyed the Shepherd warily. Everyone else eyed Legacy warily. She observed River while she waited. There was something off about the girl.

Finally, the Captain spoke, "You Alliance?"

Lacey laughed, but River answered for her, "Browncoat."

The Captain's eyebrows went up, "Don't look old enough."

"Appearances are deceptive."

Lacey bit back another laugh, and kept her voice level, "I have no love for the Alliance, Captain. And River's right, my family is Independent through and through."

The Captain seemed to consider that for a moment before nodding and turning back to River, "You say she's here to help. Help with what, albatross?"

This time Lacey answered for River, "If I had to hazard a guess, Captain, I believe I overheard you mentioning the need for an extra gun."

Captain turned back to her, "Eavesdropping?"

Lacey shrugged, unapologetic.

River spoke again, "Curiosity killed the cat."

Lacey turned to River, "Good thing I ain't a cat. I'm a mite harder to kill than that."

River nodded solemnly and turned expectantly toward the captain, "Introductions are in order."

The Captain looked annoyed and amused at the same time, "Now, albatross, don't know if we're gonna be keepin' her yet. Don't reckon I want her knowin' all us if we don't."

River looked frustrated, "_Fèihuà_. _Kěwù de lǎo bàojūn_. She must stay."

"That so?"

River didn't answer, just stared him in the eye with a determined look.

_Wonder if they realize that if I go the girl probably goes with me_, Lacey thought idly.

River turned her gaze to Lacey, "She is correct."

"I didn't say…" Lacey started to answer, confused, then thought quickly back over the rest of the evening, "Oh. You're a reader. Interesting, that's never happened before."

River nodded and the determined look returned to her face as she looked back toward the Captain, who now had a shocked look on his face. Shock was quickly turning to something more dangerous.

Lacey help her hands up, placating, "I mean River no harm. I can help her. And I can help you."

The Captain's gaze turned to Zoe briefly, then back to Lacey, and he nodded, finally taking his hand off his gun and offering it to her, "Captain Malcolm Reynolds."

Lacey grasped his hand firmly, briefly debating her response, catching the Shepherd in her peripheral made up her mind, "Rachel Jenkins."

River gave her a funny look, but didn't say anything.

It took Lacey a minute for the Captain's name to register. Her thoughts cam rapid fire then: Mal, Browncoat. Miranda, Alliance coverup. River, reader.

"Miss Jenkins?" Malcolm asked.

Legacy realized she still gripped his hand, "Sorry." She turned her head toward River, who nodded, "I'll be damned."

"Sorry?"

"Nothing. Sorry. Actually, something. Ain't too keen on startin' off on the wrong foot with you lot. I've spent the last few months kinda lookin' about for whoever was responsible for Miranda. Didn't think I'd fall in with them by accident."

Hands went back to guns, but River moved firmly into place in front of Lacey, repeating, "She is here to help."

Mal looked at her funny, but continued with introductions. Zoe was first mate. Jayne was the resident mercenary. City dandy was Simon, a doctor and River's brother. The sweet looking girl was Kaylee, the mechanic. Inara was a Counselor, formerly a Companion. And the Shepherd was Book.

Legacy would avoid him until she knew if he could be trusted. She turned her attention back to Mal.

"Pay ain't great, but it ain't bad and you'll get a fair share, you'll get your own bunk, and everyone has free reign of the kitchen. River says you can be trusted, and I'm inclined to take her word for it. We're a mite tired of bein' short-handed around here," Legacy noticed the slight flinch from Zoe at that, "So the job's yours if you want it."

Legacy nodded, "Just have to get my things."

**Georgia, 1 week later**

Legacy understood why Mal and Zoe had been so uncomfortable taking a job. _Serenity_ had 7 crew members, but only 3 gun hands, 4 counting Lacey. 5 if River was in a lucid period. It had only Lacey a couple days to figure out that what was wrong with River was that she wasn't all there. A polite inquiry to her brother had explained what the Alliance had done and had Lacey hiding in her bunk contacting Will via magic and demanding that the Academy be looked into immediately.

Currently, Mal, Zoe, Jayne, and Lacey were facing down their sellers, and Lacey was glad they'd had a bad feeling about this job in particular, because they'd been right. Meeting after dark was common enough with dealings like this, so that hadn't set off any alarms, but the moment the air lock doors slid open, Lacey breathed a prayer of thanks that the Scythe was in reach. She'd rather have her crossbow right now, though, truth be told, because the half a dozen men standing at the foot of the ramp, waiting to be invited up, were very clearly vampires. She picked up the Scythe and holstered her gun, ignoring the funny look from Jayne.

Lacey gently laid a hand on Mal's arm and spoke very quietly, "You ever worked with these guys before?"

Mal looked at her curiously, "No. You?"

Lacey decided lying was the safest bet, "Yeah. You don't want to."

"How 'bout I let you take point? You know the deal."

Lacey shook her head, "You do it, but no matter what you do, don't invite them onto the ship."

Jayne seemed to be losing his patience, "You fellas comin' up to deal or not?"

_Thank God he phrased that as a question_, Lacey thought.

Mal stepped forward, "No, Jayne, I think we can deal with them right where they're at."

Lacey stayed right with Mal as he moved onto the ramp. The vamps stepped up and met them halfway. They realized their mistake the second they caught wind of Lacey.

One of them snarled, "You!" seconds before all six were vamped out.

She spun, grabbing Mal by his coat and throwing him bodily back into the safety of the cargo bay. She continued her spin until she was facing the vamps once more, and raised the Scythe. The first one lunged, and she ducked, driving the stake into its chest. She somersaulted past the legs of the others and popped back up behind them, beheading two more before they could even turn around. She choked on the dust as she staked the fourth. The fifth managed to get behind her and lock her arms to her sides, causing her to drop the Scythe, as the sixth advanced on her, only to be drawn up short by an arrow embedding itself in his chest from behind. She used the loosening of the last vamp's arms, thanks to the distraction of the other getting dusted, to break loose and flip over him, simultaneously driving the vamp to his knees and pulling the spare stake out of her waistband, driving it into the vamp's chest as soon as she landed solidly on her feet.

Legacy drew herself up straight and glanced around, making sure there were no more lurking in the shadows before walking back into the bay. Mal was still sitting on the floor, staring at her slack-jawed. She reached a hand down to help him and he took it absentmindedly.

"Sorry about that." she told him as she pulled him up.

"What the hell w_as_ that?" he asked incredulously.

"That, Captain, was vampires." Book answered, walking up behind Mal, Lacey's crossbow in hand.

Mal opened and closed his mouth three times before finally speaking, "Everyone in the mess. Now."

Lacey made sure the cargo bay was locked up tight before turning toward the stairs. The Shepherd was waiting for her.

"Guess I owe you thanks, Preacher."

"Not at all," he seemed to remember the crossbow in his hands, "Oh, I hope you don't mind. I saw the commotion from the vidscreen on the bridge and this was sitting there."

Legacy took it, "_Xièxie_."

"It's old." The statement sounded like a question.

"Yes."

Legacy was saved from the conversation continuing by their arrival to the mess, where everyone but River was now seated. River wasn't seated, because she was hanging upside down from the beam above the table, one of Legacy's books in hand. The bittersweet nostalgia of the sight hit Lacey so hard she had to drop into her chair to maintain the strength not to pass out. River looked at her worriedly and dropped to the table with a small flip. She kneeled in front of Legacy, setting the book aside and taking the other woman's face in her hands.

"_Duìbùqǐ_. She didn't know the pain. Only saw the competition." River babbled nervously.

Lacey took a deep breath and looked up at the other girl, willing the tears away as she did, "It's alright _mèimei_, you couldn't have known. He's a memory I guard so closely even you would have to dig deeply for it."

River nodded, understanding, before dropping gracefully into the chair next to Lacey. Coming back to reality, Lacey realized all eyes were on her. She was assuming someone had explained what had happened to Kaylee and Simon.

"She is correct." River offered from next to her.

Mal looked between River and Legacy, before speaking to Lacey, disbelief dripping from the word, "Vampires?"

Lacey took a deep breath and stood, "Yes Captain, vampires."

Mal got an indiscernible look on his face before looking defeated and dropping hard into his chair.

Lacey smiled a bit, she understood acceptance when she saw it.

Mal finally asked, "There a lot of these things? Vampires. A lot of vampires? Are there other such creatures?"

"Yes, there are a lot of vampires. Yes, there are other monsters."

"Huh."

Lacey laughed, "That's one way to put it."

"Are they all bad?" That was a normal question, but she hadn't expected it to come from Zoe. And based on the look on the woman's face, maybe it wasn't so normal.

"Why do you ask?" Lacey asked instead of answering. Then she thought of something, "Have you come across them before?"

"Just two, before the War. One attacked me. Another one saved me."

Lacey nodded, "Vampires, as a general rule, are evil. They have no soul, nothing that makes them human anymore."

"Why would one save a human?"

"… I couldn't say." It was a lie of omission of sorts, but Lacey wasn't ready to explain everything.

Zoe nodded, satisfied for now.

Simon finally seemed to catch up, "You're really trying to tell us Dracula is real?"

"Yes. And he's a pain in the ass." Lacey snapped and River giggled at Lacey's annoyed memories of legendary vampire.

Simon was speechless.

"What other monsters are there?" Kaylee asked shyly.

"Werewolves. Demons of all sorts. Hell gods."

"Are all the monsters bad?"

"There are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part, they're bad."

Jayne spoke up, "If all these critters are really out there, how come folks don't know about them?"

"Humans still outnumber monsters greatly. Exposure would put the monsters in danger." Lacey explained.

"How come you know 'bout 'em then?"

Lacey shrugged, not yet ready to bring them too far into this, "Bad luck."

None of the crew looked happy with her answer, but no one called her on it just then.

Zoe, per usual, was the voice of logic, "We come across these things again, how do we kill them?"

Lacey knew better than to not tell them. They knew the vamps were real, they should know how to defend themselves, "Most of the old myths hold some truth. Wooden stake through the heart. Decapitation. Holy water and crosses burn them, as does s-daylight." Lacey cursed silently, 500 years and she still had to remind herself to say daylight instead of sunlight.

Mal interrupted then, a thought clearly just dawning, "How the hell'd you throw me back inta the ship like you did?"

"Adrenaline," Lacey deadpanned.

"What about garlic?" Jayne inquired seriously, oblivious of the tense exchange.

Lacey laughed, finally relaxing a bit, "_Gǒushǐ_."

The crew dispersed until Legacy and the preacher were the last two. Noticing the expression on his face, Lacey bolted unceremoniously before he could start in on her.

Lacey managed to avoid the Shepherd, with some help from River, for two whole days before managed to corner her in the kitchen one morning before the rest of the crew was awake.

"You've been avoiding me." he cut to the chase.

Lacey sat at the table and eyed him warily, "And what makes you think you're so special?"

Book raised his eyebrows, "Surely you can do better than that."

Lacey shrugged in answer.

He decided to take a very direct approach, "People don't just know about vampires. And the ones that do are often bound by laws and covenants to not share that information. Someone with your knowledge and skill in relation to them, and the implications of your knowledge of other creatures, paired with the freedom to share that information at will, leaves very few possibilities as to your identity."

"And what's your theory, Preacher man?" Lacey asked, casually sipping her coffee as Book joined her at the table.

"You're the Slayer." It wasn't a question.

Lacey was silent as she debated her response. River trusted the Shepherd. And he had saved her life. Besides, if he proved untrustworthy, she could always throw him out the airlock.

_Comes to that, I'll help._ River's voice drifted across her mind and she cursed under her breath, drawing a disapproving look from Book.

She ignored it, thinking hard at River, _You let him find me, traitor._

She swore she felt River laugh inside her head.

Lacey turned her attention back to Book, "Yes."

He nodded, clearly surprised by her directness.

"You abuse that knowledge; I'll put you out the airlock. I've no tolerance for religious fanatics, _dǒng ma_?"

"Understood."

"You can ask your questions, but there's no guarantee I'll answer them."

"Fair enough… I only know the legends. My order hasn't had direct contact with a Slayer in over 300 years."

"There's a reason that." Lacey informed him flatly.

"I suppose that's as good a place as any to start my questions."

"Slayer and Watchers worked in peace with the Shepherds from the exodus of Earth-that-Was 'til 'bout 300 years ago when one of the leading men of the cloth got it in his head to use dark magic to try and bind a Slayer to his will, force her to serve his order. Didn't end well for him, or our alliance with the Shepherds."

Book looked sad, "I see… to be honest, I'd hoped those whispers were false."

"They weren't." Lacey's hand unconsciously drifted to the scar at the base of her neck.

"I'm sorry."

Lacey realized where her hand was and made a show of running her fingers through her hair before shrugging dismissively, "Wasn't your doing."

"But it was the doing of my order."

"Yes."

"Your Watcher?" Book asked curiously.

Lacey forced herself not to tense, technically, Dawn was her Watcher, but every time it came up (which wasn't often) she couldn't help but think of Xander. She cleared her throat and forced her mind back to the present conversation, "At home. Don't need them looking over my shoulder all the time."

"And home is?"

"Don't trust you that much yet, Preacher man."

**Translations:**

_Fèihuà_ – Nonsense

_Kěwù de lǎo bàojūn_ – Horrible old tyrant

_Xièxie_ – Thank you

_Duìbùqǐ_ – I'm sorry

_mèimei_ – little sister

_Gǒushǐ_ – dog shit

_dǒng ma_ – understand


	4. Blast from the Past

**Chapter 4: Blast from the Past**

**Beaumonde, December 2519**

The crew had taken the revelation of vampires well, all things considered. Book had gained her trust completely over the months on board. A goodly bit of that trust had been earned by the fact that he hadn't outed the Slayer thing to the crew. Lacey still hadn't told them her real name. She wasn't sure why, but Rachel Jenkins was who she wanted to be right now. Her role changed as needed. Most of the time she was muscle, mostly because nobody expected it by looking at her, sometimes she was the pilot, and other times she helped Kaylee with engine or cooked. But she'd found a comfort in _Serenity_ she hadn't felt in longer than she could remember. Something about it, and its crew, felt like home.

Jobs had been coming in steady enough that they decided to take and easy job over the holidays. An old friend of Jayne's had set up a bar on Beaumonde and had taken to hiring extra security around Christmas to account for rowdy Rim folk coming in to visit kin. It was steady work, decent enough pay, and let them stay planetside longer than they'd been all year.

Dawn pitched a fit for the ages when Legacy had waved back to the ranch to say she wouldn't be coming back for the holidays. She hadn't calmed down until Willow had pulled her off screen and made her take a look at the happiness on Lacey's face that hadn't been there since she'd lost Xander. Dawn had come back to the screen with tears in her eyes, telling Lacey she damn well better not try to pull this stunt two years in a row.

Christmas Eve was the busiest the bar had been since the _Serenity_ crew had landed at the beginning of the month. Everyone) was working in some capacity tonight. Inara was watching River, who had happily been occupying the dance floor all night. Lacey was bar tending, using her vantage point to predict possible fights. Mal, Zoe, and Jayne were serving as bouncers. Book, Simon, and Kaylee were doing their best to get those who had too much to drink home instead of passed out in the cold streets.

Lacey smiled as she watched Jayne gleefully throw some trouble maker out the front door. She poured him a beer as he made his way to the bar, a goofy grin on his face. He gave her a mock salute with the mug before taking a long swallow. A hand landed on Jayne's shoulder and Jayne spun to face whoever dared interrupt his well-earned drink.

"What the bloody hell, mate? Why'd ya hafta throw that poncy bugger out? I was lookin' ta have a right nice fight." A very familiar English accent berated Jayne.

Lacey launched herself over the bar and placed herself in front of a protesting Jayne and punched Spike squarely in the mouth before he had a chance to recognize her. A satisfied smirk crept onto her face as he landed hard on his ass. He was back up lightning fast, but she was ready. She grabbed him by the arm with one hand and by the neck with other and spun quickly so his back was pinned to the bar.

"I'm up for a good tussle if you are." Lacey said cheerily, "Though if I remember right, I kicked your ass last time."

It took Spike all of half a second to focus his eyes and recognize her. As soon as he started laughing, she released her grip on him. Before she could fully release her grip on his arm, he pulled her into a bruisingly tight embrace, which she happily returned full force.

Releasing her, Spike seemed to regain his ability to speak, "You couldn't kick my ass if you wanted to, _bǎobèi_, but I'll sure go a round with ya if I need ta prove it."

Lacey laughed, "It's damn good to see you, Spike."

"Uh… take it ya know this fella?" Jayne asked.

Lacey turned to the big merc, "Yeah. We're good here."

Jayne nodded and wandered off in search of another fight.

Lacey turned back to Spike, "Help me tend the bar 'til closing, then we'll catch up."

She was a little surprised when he didn't argue.

Mal sauntered over toward the bar after locking up the front and Legacy suddenly found herself pushed against the back wall. Spike was fully vamped out standing in front of her in a manner that could only be described as protective. However, she was too confused to feel touched by the gesture.

Suddenly River was between Spike and Mal. Legacy shoved out from behind Spike to get a better view of whatever the hell was going on.

River stepped forward and put a hand gently on Spike's face, "Not him. Genetics repeat at intervals along time. The darkness is not in him. Banished."

Spike growled in response, though it was clearly aimed toward Mal, and not the girl in front of him. The niggling sense of familiarity Lacey had felt the first time she saw Mal came back, and this time she opened herself to it, gasping when the memory hit her. River stepped aside as Legacy threw herself between the vampire and her captain.

She grabbed Spike by the shoulders before he could lunge at Mal and shook him until he reluctantly turned his attention to her, yellow eyes gleaming, "Spike, he's not Caleb."

"Sure looks like him." Spike snarled back.

"Listen to what River said. Repeating genetics. It's been 500 years. This isn't the first time we've come across someone who looks like someone else we used to know. This one just hits a bit closer to home."

Spike slowly devamped.

Lacey raised a hand gently to his face, forcing him to meet her eyes, and repeated emphatically, "He is not Caleb."

"Split in half, brittle bones to dust in the wind on the world that is no more." River intoned.

The crew settled down for a much needed drink after that odd exchange. The only three who seemed to understand it were Lacey, Spike, and River, and none of them seemed inclined to explain. Simon and Kaylee were nestled into one big chair. River was perched on the back of Lacey's chair with Lacey leaning back against the girl's legs. Lacey had her own feet propped up in Spike's lap. Mal, Zoe, Jayne, Book, and Inara all occupied their own seats, but Mal and Inara's chairs were suspiciously close to one another. Spike was still eyeing Mal warily. Zoe kept shooting odd glances toward Spike.

"Zoe, everything alright?" Lacey inquired.

Zoe shook her head briefly, seeming to snap out of her thoughts, and looked back and forth between Spike and Lacey.

River giggled, "Knight in shining fangs."

Zoe and Spike's gazes both snapped to River.

Understanding dawned on Lacey, "You said a vampire saved you from another vampire before the War. It was Spike, wasn't it?"

Zoe nodded, still a little wide-eyed.

"I suspected as much." Lacey smiled a little as Spike examined Zoe.

Finally he grinned, "I remember you, pet. You grew up right nice."

Spike's leer seemed to snap Zoe back in to herself and she raised an eyebrow sardonically, "Much as I appreciate your help back then, don't push your luck now."

Spike raised his hands in surrender.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Save me. Rachel said, as a rule, vampires were evil. Was a bit evasive as to why one would bother saving a human."

River cocked her head curiously toward Spike, "Light shines bright, but doesn't burn anymore."

"Rachel?" Spike asked quizzically.

Lacey kicked him under the table.

Spike grimaced as Lacey then smiled genuinely at Zoe, ignoring River with the practice of someone used to nonsensical babble, "Ah, that's just one 'a my girls thinkin' she's protecting me." he ignored Lacey's scoff, "See, I'm a one of a kind. I've got a soul. Killin' innocents just don't sit right with that."

Lacey scoffed again, "One of a kind my ass."

Spike raised an eyebrow, "You seen Tall, Dark, and Broody the past few centuries?"

Lacey just glared in response. Spike turned his gaze back up to River.

"You ever try namin' all the stars, little one?" the vampire asked the reader.

River's eyes narrowed, "That would be illogical."

Lacey kicked Spike, "If you start comparing her to Dru, I will stake you. No one in the 'Verse is that crazy."

"Ow." Spike rubbed his leg ruefully.

"You mean there's someone crazier than Moonbrain?" Jayne slurred.

Lacey ignored him in favor of continuing to glare at Spike, until he had the grace to start fidgeting a bit.

**The Black, January 2520**

No one remembered precisely how it had been decided he was coming along, but Spike was in a passenger dorm when they left Beaumonde. Christmas morning Mal had cornered Lacey while the rest of the crew was still sleeping off the night before.

"_What the hell was that last night?" he asked harshly._

_Lacey sighed, knowing he deserved an explanation, "Spike is old. He was old before Earth ended. The Slayers were almost destroyed by The First Evil. The First just so happened to wear the face of a preacher named Caleb who looked a mite disturbingly exactly like you."_

_Mal gave her a curious look then, "You say that like you saw him yourself."_

_Lacey chose to laugh instead of answer. In truth, she was getting really tired of the half-truths and omissions. It wasn't that she didn't trust the crew enough to tell them the truth, but she didn't know how they would take it. She'd come to think of them as a second family, and she didn't think she could handle it if they turned away from her._

_Mal was still looking at her expectantly, waiting for some kind of answer, but she was saved by a very cheery Kaylee entering and babbling excitedly about presents._

Setting course toward Persephone, Lacey couldn't help but wonder if there was some greater purpose for Spike showing up now. After all, it had been almost 100 years since any of the Slayers or Watchers had seen him last. She knew it wouldn't be much longer before she had to sit the crew down and explain exactly who she was.

**Translations**

_bǎobèi_ – baby/general endearment


	5. In a Flash

**The Black, January 2520**

Lacey steeled herself as she approached Mal. She'd been on _Serenity_ for about 8 months. She trusted the crew and she knew they trusted her. But she knew how tetchy Mal was about jobs, and offering one without telling him who he was working for… well, she wasn't quite sure how well it was going to go over. She took a final fortifying breath and stepped into the mess, finding Mal and Zoe, coffee mugs in hand, just as expected.

Mal looked up expectantly, "Anything interesting off your wave?"

Lacey poured herself a cup of coffee and nodded as she sat, "Got a job if you're interested."

"Depends on what the job is."

"Quick security gig on Heinlein."

"Pay?"

"Very good. New fuel cells and more credits than we've seen at once in months, maybe all year."

Mal raised an eyebrow, "What's the catch?"

"Employer wants to stay anonymous." Lacey hesitated only briefly, "And what we'd be providin' security against ain't exactly human in nature."

Both eyebrows shot up at that.

"You trust me, Captain?"

"I reckon I do," Mal nodded slowly.

Lacey released a deep breath, "This job is legit. The pay is legit. I know these people and I've worked with them before. I trust them. So I'm just asking you to trust me."

Mal considered for a moment before agreeing, "Alright, set course Heilein."

Lacey smiled and tipped her mug in his direction in a mock salute, "River already did, Cap."

"_Āiyā_!" Lacey set off in search of Spike, chuckling as Mal questioned Zoe, who was assuring him he was still captain of his boat.

Lacey wasn't particularly surprised to Spike sprawled on the couch in the passenger common area with River perched on the table in front of him. She couldn't help but chuckle. She knew the dark-haired, wide-eyed girl reminded him of Dru… well, Dru minus the evil bit. He knew better than to make the comparison aloud, though. Lacey really would cause him harm for it, and he knew it.

He looked up as she leaned over the end of the couch, over him, "Playing Spiderman, are we luv? Fancy a snog?"

Lacey rolled her eyes and not so accidentally tipped her coffee mug too far over his face. He jumped up cursing as River giggled and Lacey turned her back.

"Clean yourself up and meet me in the cargo bay," she called back over her shoulder.

Spike was still grumbling about getting coffee out of his hair when he showed up in the cargo bay, "What in the bloody hell do you want, woman?"

Lacey raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to catch on.

His eyes narrowed as he took in her bare feet, loose pants and tank top. He grinned and shrugged off his leather jacket. Knowing the opportunity wouldn't come again soon, she shot a thought in River's direction and heard a giggle in response from the catwalk above.

Spike turned toward her, "Fancy a go, then?"

Lacey grinned, and launched at him in answer. Neither went full-tilt, both constantly reining in speed and strength, aware of their growing audience. Still, it was the best round of sparring Lacey'd had since she left the ranch and she collapsed breathlessly two hours later, knowing she'd have bruises tonight that would be gone by morning. _Gonna have to wear long sleeves and avoid Simon 'til tomorrow_, she thought vaguely. Spike collapsed next to her and she took the opportunity to quietly explain exactly what they were going to be dealing with when they landed on Heinlein. Then she jumped up and stretched quickly, heading toward the showers. She chuckled and sprinted the rest of the way when she heard Spike roar from behind her, "Where in the bloody _gorram_ hell is my rutting jacket?!"

**Heinlein, January 2520**

"What is this? Bloody week of blast from the past? You didn't say it was a rutting Suvolte demon!" Spike snarled as he charged the demon in question once more.

"Will didn't know what it was when she waved!" Legacy yelled back as she ducked the demons arm, "She just knew it was causing a whole mess of trouble!"

Spike went flying into a tree behind her and she ducked another grasping limb.

"Besides, if I remember that story correctly, it was your fault the damn thing was there in the first place!" Lacey said accusingly after flying into the tree next to him.

"Not my bloody fault this time!" he told her as they both took off in pursuit of the fleeing demon.

Lacey caught it first, leaping onto its back and burying a blade in one of its shoulders. It flung her off just as Spike tackled it at the knees. Lacey rolled out of the way is it went down.

_Perceived assistance incoming_, River's voice drifted across her mind.

Legacy cursed and dragged a protesting Spike back down to the ground as the Suvolte stood into a hail of bullets. The second the guns stopped firing Lacey leaped up and used the demon's momentary distraction at the gunfire to wrench its neck until it snapped. Lacey leaped off its shoulders, landing neatly on her feet and helping a cursing Spike up to his feet as the demon crumpled to the ground.

"What in the _gorram _'Verse?" Mal asked, looking at the dead Suvolte wide-eyed, "Thing barely even flinched!"

Lacey shrugged, "Only way we know of to kill a Suvolte is to snap its neck. Problem is, it's difficult to close enough long enough to do just that."

"So whadya gonna do with it now?" Jayne asked.

Lacey shrugged again.

"Burn it?" Spike suggested.

Lacey nodded, "We'll have to drag it back to field where we parked _Serenity_."

The crew set two fires. One to burn the demon, and another to cook the steaks Kaylee had bought during her supply into town that afternoon.

Lacey stretched her legs out in front of her, enjoying a still mostly cold beer as she leaned against Spike.

"How the hell did that thing get here?" she asked suddenly.

"What get where, pet?" Spike asked.

"The Suvolte. Weren't those things almost extinct already when you were trying to sell eggs? It's not like they're particularly smart. And there's no way in hell they could pass for even remotely human if they were smart enough to try. So how did it make it into the 'Verse and last this long besides?"

She felt Spike shrug, "Can't rightly say. Have Red look into it."

"I will." she was quiet for a minute, then, "Why'd you leave?"

Spike tensed, "I'm right here."

"Don't even, Spike. You know damn well what I mean. We haven't seen you in almost a hundred years. And you barely even had the grace to say goodbye then."

She felt him sag a bit as he spoke softly, "Don't rightly know I can explain it, pet."

"Try." Lacey commanded.

Spike shifted a bit and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Suppose I got tired of the looks Buffy was giving me."

Lacey understood, and asked as gently as she could, "Like she wasn't really sure if she wanted to spend eternity with you?"

Spike sighed, "Suppose that's one way to put it."

Lacey bit her lip and debated with herself over whether or not she should tell him. Looking over the fire, her eyes met Rivers. The girl nodded almost imperceptibly, and Legacy smiled lightly, not even slightly offended the girl had been listening to her thoughts.

"You are one of a kind, you know." Legacy told him.

"I know it." he replied, the snark only half-hearted.

"No, really. Angel's gone. Has been since a few months before you left."

Spike tensed again, "_Shénme_?"

"That's why Buffy was giving you those looks. It wasn't that she was questioning whether or not she wanted to spend eternity with you. It's more like she was realizing she finally could without second-guessing herself."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Didn't tell you about Angel because Buffy wanted to. Didn't tell you about Buffy because that was her business. And before you ask, didn't track you down after you left because Buff was so pissed we thought she'd be more likely to stake you than kiss you."

Spike chuckled then was silent for a while. Finally, so softly she could barely hear it, "_Xièxie, mèimei_." And he kissed the top of her head lightly.

Lacey just nodded and leaned further back against him.

Their comfortable silence was interrupted by a blinding flash of green light. They were both on their feet instantly, Lacey with gun in hand and Spike vamped out, followed closely by Mal, Jayne, and Zoe, all armed, and River. They approached the new crater in the middle of the field cautiously, trying not to choke against the smoke. In the middle of the burnt patch of ground was a crumpled figure in jeans and a leather jacket. Approaching slowly, gun steady, Legacy used her feet to nudge the figure onto its back. Her gun hit the ground at the same time as her knees.

Legacy brushed dark hair off a sooty forehead feeling nothing but disbelief.

She breathed the word like a prayer, almost silent and so full of longing and hope and utter disbelief that it almost broke Spike's heart, "Xander?"

**Translations:**

_Āiyā_ – shit

_gorram_ – damn

_Shénme_ – what

_Xièxie_ – thank you

_mèimei_ – little sister


	6. What a Slayer Is

**Heinlein, January 2520**

"Rachel?" Lacey didn't register the voice behind her until Spike bent to her ear, "Lace!"

Her head jerked up and she looked at Spike helplessly as he gently wiped away the tears she didn't realize were falling.

Spike nudged her aside and picked up the crumpled figure in front of her with ease, "Go get the doc, luv."

Lacey didn't move.

"_Gāisǐ de_, woman! Move! Now!" Spike used the commanding snarl that used to snap even the most fearsome vampires to attention. It did the job. Lacey still felt numb, but she was on her feet and running, full tilt, toward _Serenity_, heedless of the fact that the crew hadn't before now seen the speed she was truly capable of.

She started yelling the moment she hit the ramp, even though she was in the engine room in less than a minute, "Simon!"

Fortunately, he and Kaylee weren't in any sort of compromising position. He was on his feet immediately, "_Zhè shì zěnme huí shì_?"

"Infirmary, now." Lacey answered no nonsense.

Simon (and Kaylee) followed without question.

Spike had set Xander on the bed and was standing guard at the door, the rest of the crew gathered curiously in the common area just outside of it.

Lacey hesitated briefly, "Spike?" she asked, knowing he would understand the question.

He nodded, "It's him, luv."

Lacey couldn't describe what emotion ran through her at that point, but she couldn't do any more. The flood gates opened and she fell to her knees. Spike swiftly picked her up and sat quickly, settling Lacey on his lap and holding her close as the sobs racked her body.

She heard River's voice demanding, "Fix him." and she was grateful the girl could read her mind, because she wouldn't have been coherent enough to explain anything if she tried.

Lacey slowly came back to herself and vaguely became aware of her surroundings once again. The first thing she became aware of was Spike's arms around her, and she leaned into him gratefully, knowing, as always, he would understand. The next thing she became aware of was the curious, worried, and wary glances the crew was shooting between the couch and the infirmary. And finally, she became aware of Simon and River working furtively in the infirmary. The shock was passing at an excruciatingly slow pace, but Legacy managed to extricate herself from Spike's lap to move into the infirmary.

"What happened to him?" she managed in a raspy voice.

Simon's head snapped her direction, "I was hoping you might be able to tell me."

"Gone. Died. Been…" Lacey stopped and shook her head, trying to formulate a complete thought and finally managed, "As far as I was aware, he died over 500 years ago."

Simon's hands stilled.

River kept working, "512. Didn't die. Moved. Same as you. Just more space between."

Legacy's numb brain fought to make sense of River's words. "You mean whatever zapped me 2 years zapped him 512?"

River nodded and smacked Simon's arm, snapping his attention back to the task at hand. Legacy leaned back against the wall, never taking her eyes off Xander, and ignoring the questioning gazes she felt boring into her back.

It had taken Simon and River nearly two hours to stop all the bleeding and properly stitch up all the wounds. It had taken another hour to get the young man clean and into clean clothes pilfered from Spike. Simon collapsed onto the couch outside the infirmary, thoroughly exhausted and watched River drape a blanket over Lacey's shoulders where she sat gripping the young man's hand. River came out to join the rest of the crew, gently shutting the infirmary door behind her before perching on the couch directly behind Spike.

Everyone was silent and the air was tense.

After some amount of time, Mal cleared his throat and glared toward River and Spike, "Anyone care to explain what in the _gorram_ hell is goin' on?"

"What would you like to know?" River asked primly.

Mal's glare intensified, "Let's start with who, or maybe what, he is?"

River smiled, "He is hers."

Mal's brows drew together in confusion, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Spike shrugged as he answered, "That's the best explanation you're like to get, Captain. Xander is L-Rachel's. Far as I know they never got married or anythin' like that, but they were attached at the bloody hip from the day they met. He's just hers."

Mal decided not to argue with the irritable looking vampire and turned back to River, "That still don't explain much."

River pursed her lips, considering an answer.

Book spoke up, "Captain, all due respect, I believe that's a question best answered by the woman herself."

"Shepherd has a point, Cap." Heads snapped toward Lacey coming out of the infirmary. Lacey chuckled tiredly as she sat on the end of the couch, near Spike and River, "'Fraid I have to admit I didn't quite tell you the whole story when you asked how I knew 'bout monsters and all that. I knew I'd have to tell you all eventually, but I wanted to protect you all from my world as much as I could for as long as I could."

Questioning gazes turned to her, Lacey let her head droop toward her knees a bit.

She was grateful when Book offered, "If I may?"

Lacey looked up at him and nodded, managing a small smile.

"Have any of you heard the legends of the Slayers from Earth-that-Was?"

He was met with blank stares.

"There is one Slayer born to every generation. She was gifted to fight the darkness and the evil of the world. She was given superior strength and speed, accelerated healing and extraordinary senses. It's not just what she does, it's who she is; it's a calling that cannot be denied. Until 300 years ago, my order aided the Slayer, until, apparently, one of the Shepherds tried to use a dark magic to bind the Slayer and her power to his own will." Book ended bitterly.

Before Lacey's hand could drift back to the scar at the base of her neck, Spike's hand was there, gently rubbing circles.

Lacey looked the Shepherd in the eye, "Like I told you before Shepherd, wasn't your doing. I don't hold it against you. You're a good man and you've earned my trust fair and square."

Mal's brows shot up, "You knew 'bout this, Preacher?"

Book nodded, "It was admitted in confidence."

Mal muttered something about secrets on his boat.

Zoe, ever the observant one, looked to Lacey, "You said you don't hold it against the Shepherd. But you say it like it was a personal affront."

Spike's hand stilled over her scar and Lacey sighed, "It was."

Book looked at her curiously, "The legends talk about the memories of the Slayers as a sort of collective. The essence of one being."

Lacey nodded, and pushed her hair over her shoulder, turning so the crew would see the scar on her neck, "True enough, the heritage of the Slayer is a powerful thing. But I also happen to be the Slayer that Shepherd tried to bind. Magic that dark requires blood and very specific rituals."

Zoe looked dubious, "You said that was 300 years ago."

Lacey sighed and turned back around, "It was."

Book now looked confused, "But every generation…" he trailed off.

"No more." River spoke up.

Lacey smiled at her before turning back to the crew, "On Earth-that-Was, there was only one Slayer until the late 1990's. Then there were two. It was the first thing that upset the balance. In the early 2000's, the balance was flipped on its axis. Since then, there have been hundreds, even thousands, of Slayers at a time."

"How?" Book asked.

Lacey's hands fisted, aching for the Scythe that was safely stowed in her bunk, "A spell. The Slayer's had to face a very powerful enemy, the First Evil, and had to quite literally destroy a gate to hell. Potential Slayer's were being tracked down and killed. So, they were tracked down by the two current Slayers in order to be protected and trained… at first. Eventually another option was found. A spell activated every potential Slayer – every girl who could be a Slayer, would be a Slayer. That Hellmouth was closed, along with two more in the following years before Earth was evacuated. And before anyone asks, no, demons didn't do that. Humans really were responsible."

It was silent for a few moments.

Simon spoke quietly, "You speak about it as if you were there."

"I was." Lacey answered calmly.

"How old are ya?" Jayne finally asked.

"Didn't your mama teach you not to ask a woman's age?" Lacey fired back good-naturedly.

Zoe chuckled while River and Kaylee giggled. But everyone continued to stare at her.

Eventually she sighed in defeat, "Around 530."

Jaws dropped.

"That shouldn't be possible." Book finally managed to get out.

"Took us a few years to realize it, but the spell did more than activate potentials. Every Slayer and Watcher that the spell touched directly stopped aging. Potentials born now are still gifted with the strengths of a Slayer, but only those of us that were already around when the spell was performed don't age. There aren't many of us from Earth left now, we can still be killed, but it's no easy feat."

"Immortal is not invulnerable." River intoned.

Lacey laughed, "And I've got the scars to prove it."

**Translations:**

_Gāisǐ de_ – Damn it

_Zhè shì zěnme huí shì_ – what's going on

_gorram_ - damn


	7. Dreams of Heaven

**The Black, January 2520**

The next several days were agonizing for Lacey. They were en route to Greenleaf, all in agreement that there was no sense in turning down a job, no matter the current circumstances on board. Lacey didn't sleep except for when her head fell to the side of Xander's bed in exhaustion. She didn't eat unless Kaylee gently chided or Spike dropped a protein bar in her lap. She answered questions the crew had, her whole story coming out in bits and pieces.

Book was curious about the deaths and callings of Slayers. Lacey told him how first Buffy, then Kendra and Faith, then she herself had been called.

Jayne wanted to know how strong she really was. Unfortunately, he caught her in a particularly bad mood and got himself thrown across the cargo bay.

Once Simon puzzled out River's words about what had happened to Lacey, he wanted to know about the side-effects of Lacey's return and then set to trying to create an equation to determine how long Xander could be unconscious. River smacked him, called him a boob, and told him magic didn't work like that as she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Kaylee asked how many kinds of ships she had been on. The mechanic just about swooned when Lacey told her she'd helped crew the very first Firefly.

Mal didn't have to ask anything. He joined her one night in the infirmary and sat in companionable silence until she quietly told him about the Slayers part in the war.

Inara asked about where she called home in the 'Verse. Lacey told her about the ranch on Verbena, but the former Companion's gentle smile told Lacey that she understood the Slayer had come to think of _Serenity_ as home.

Everyone wanted to know anything she could tell them about Earth-that-Was. She told Book about the old cathedrals. She talked about weapons with Jayne. She told Simon about herbs that were now extinct (everywhere but at the ranch on Verbena, but she kept that to herself for now) and their healing properties. She told Kaylee about cars. She told Mal about battles the Slayers never should have been able to win, but did anyway.

River would materialize and prattle on about whatever nonsense popped into her head, not actually expecting Lacey to listen, when she sensed Lacey needed a break from the rest of the crew.

Zoe didn't ask any questions at first, just watched as Lacey practiced forms in the cargo bay every day. It was the only time she ever left Xander's bedside. Eventually, the first mate asked the question Lacey had secretly been dying to hear, "What's he like?"

Tears ran freely down Lacey's face as she gripped Xander's hand, but she smiled, "He made me laugh when I hadn't in nearly four years before I met him. He's loyal to a fault. No matter how bad things got, he never got completely jaded, he always had to look at the bright side, always held on to some of that child-like innocence the rest of us long-since lost. He has no idea how damn _shuài_ he is or the effect he has when a woman first lays eyes on him… as long as he's in leather and not those _yúbèn_ tropical-looking shirts he loves." Zoe's expression gradually slipped into something Lacey couldn't quite identify until she suddenly remembered a capture she'd seen of Wash and recalled stories the crew had shared of the man. Lacey had always liked Zoe, but she now looked at her and saw a kindred spirit – a jaded heart who had loved and been loved by someone no one could understand why she was with; someone who understood the pain of losing the person who made you feel human again.

The Slayer and the Warrior Woman spent the rest of the night swapping stories about the men they loved, and laughing like neither had in a long time. A bottle of sake appeared at some point, and though neither realized it, both began to heal.

**Greenleaf, January 2520**

The only reason Lacey stepped off ship for this job was because it was daylight out, and though Spike bugged the hell out of her sometimes, she didn't want him to be a pile of ash. So Spike was stationed in the infirmary, and Lacey was at the bottom of the ramp with a firm grip on her gun. Honestly, with the mood she was in, if this job didn't go smoothly, she might tear these guys heads off their shoulders with her bare hands. Apparently that attitude was clear on her face, because it was the smoothest pick-up they'd had in ages. Less than two hours after landing, they were lifting off again, cargo safely stored.

**Persephone, January 2520**

The drop-off went less smoothly. Badger wanted to re-negotiate prices. Mal was mad. Zoe was silent. Jayne was caressing Vera. River was staring wide-eyed between Lacey and Badger's security, giggling behind her hand.

"Home turf. My advantage." Badger told Mal, smirking, "I recommend you take my word for it when I tell you that you're no match for my new security."

Mal pursed his lips. Zoe and Jayne tightened their grips on their guns.

River laughed outright, causing everyone's heads to snap toward her, "_Bùyàojǐn_. _Jiějie_ has been itching for a good fight."

Lacey stepped forward, her grin nothing short of malicious, "Girl has an excellent point."

Badger raised an eyebrow as she holstered her gun, "Little thing like you against my big goons?"

Lacey laughed as she pulled a stake from her boot, "On what planet did you decide it was a good idea to hire vampires as security?" she lunged toward the first, turning him into a pile of dust before he could react, "They'd just as soon eat you as actually protect you." Lacey spun behind the second vamp, who quickly joined his friend as a pile of dust. "Besides, it really limits your business hours." Lacey continued casually as she took out a third. Apparently, the third time was the charm because the rest of Badger's new security sprang into action. Four vamps closed in on Lacey, while the rest loosely surrounded the rest of the crew.

Badger seemed nonplussed about the three he'd just lost, "Didn't know you lot was privy to such knowledge, Mal."

Mal answered by lunging forward and staking the vamp who had stepped in front of him. Lacey exploded into action, spinning, kicking, and staking with abandon until she covered in ash and breathing a little heavier than normal. River had taken out at least three more, and the rest of the crew one each, plus the one Mal staked initially. Lacey yanked a long knife from Jayne's belt and stalked up to a slack-jawed Badger. Apparently she still looked pissed to high heaven, because Jayne didn't so much as growl in protest. And Badger looked ready to piss himself when Lacey backed him into a wall, blade at his throat.

Mal came up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder before grinning at Badger, "Now, 'bout that payment?"

**The Black, February 2520**

Two and a half weeks and Xander was still unconscious. Needless to say, Lacey was in a very bad mood. Spike did his best to take the brunt of it. He was the only one physically on par enough to spar with her anyway, much less when she was about to lose her temper. Unbelievably, Jayne stepped in every few days to give the vampire a break. Bur River was the only one who was fast enough that Lacey didn't have to hold back.

They were heading to New Melbourne. Some rancher that used to live near Mal's family on Shadow needed a hand with rustlers. Lacey was beginning to feel homesick for the ranch on Verbena. She laced her fingers through Xander's and began telling him about the ranch and the minis that had been there when she left.

Xander felt like he was drowning in darkness. Occasionally he would catch snatches of sound, mostly unfamiliar voices. Most of the time he just dreamed. Legacy was always there. In his nightmares, he watched the Turok-Han stabbing her in the back and he saw the terror on her face. He saw the apology, like she knew she was leaving him. He tried to reach her, to tell her it wasn't her fault, but he never could. He just watched it on a loop. Stab, flash, gone. Once, and he never decided if it was a nightmare or a good dream, Legacy and Faith were comparing their bedroom experiences with him. Then there were the good dreams. Wrapped up together in a hammock in the jungles of Africa. Sparring lightly in the gym in England. Her feet propped on his lap as they poured the demonology books. Her head resting on his shoulder as they watched a movie. Walking hand in hand down the beach. Then the darkness would return and he was alone again.

He often wondered where he was. When the nightmares came, he was sure it was hell. But then the good dreams came, and he knew it had to be heaven. He wasn't sure what changed, but a time came when he felt a small, calloused hand gripping his own. He felt the soft brush of lips across his cheek. He heard her voice as if she was right next to him. Finally, he managed open his eye. It was too bright, so he closed it again. But then he forced it open again, more slowly this time, because she was there. He couldn't just see her, he could feel her, he could smell her – engine oil and sun-warmed wood and something subtle and flowery, but now there was something else too, gun oil and barely clinging campfire smoke.

He sighed, and his voice came out hoarse, "Best dream yet." Lacey's head snapped toward him at an inhumane speed and he raised the hand she wasn't gripping to her cheek, "The one constant, in my heaven, is you."

Lacey stared at him wide-eyed as he heard a familiar voice behind her, "Damn mate, I'm gonna have to steal that line. When'd you get so smooth?"

Spike was not in Xander's dreams of heaven, "Never mind. Spike." Then he winced as the sensation of feeling spread across his body, "Oh and with the pain. Definitely not heaven." He turned his face back toward Lacey, "But you're here, and you're not dying, so it can't be hell." He cringed as a thought hit him, "Unless you're _with_ Spike, then definitely hell."

Spike's movement as he raised an arm, as if to wrap it around her shoulders, snapped Lacey mostly out of her shock and she practically growled at Spike, "Try it and I'll dust you, Captain Peroxide." She shot a quick glare his direction, muttering under her breath and knowing both men could still hear her, "Arrogant _húndàn_."

Before any of the trio could say anything else, Simon came in, Kaylee trailing behind him, "Rachel, River said you nee –" the doctor cut off seeing Xander awake and immediately switched to doctor mode, checking vitals and motor responses and changing bandages as Spike gently moved Lacey out of the way. Seeing his warm brown eye resting on her in disbelief, something snapped and Lacey would have fallen to her knees if Spike hadn't already been holding her. As it was she started shaking violently and lowered her head into her hands awkwardly.

Spike held the little Slayer up as she slumped and shook against him. Xander's eye went wide at the sight of Lacey breaking down and he seemed to recover from his own shock. He pushed away the water Kaylee had been helping him drink and struggled to his feet, despite Simon's protests. He stumbled toward the vampire and the Slayer and Spike unwrapped one arm from around Lacey to help steady Xander as the younger man laid one hand soothingly on her back, at the base of her neck where her head was bowed toward him.

Xander rubbed her back absently as he tried to lift Lacey's face gently with the other, only slightly hampered by Spike's steadying hand, "Lace… Lacey… Lace…" he tried quietly, and finally, louder, "Ace!"

Lacey's head snapped up and her eyes met his. She reached hesitantly toward his face and his eye drifted closed as he leaned into her touch. As her eyes focused on the face in front of her she slowly stopped shaking and Spike stepped back gently after raising her free arm to grasp Xander, knowing the Slayer would instinctually hold her man up.

Xander leaning his cheek into her hand, a move she was so intimately familiar with, even after 500 years of not seeing it, was what finally made Lacey realize it was real. Xander was really here. And he was awake. As his eye drifted back open, Lacey offered an almost shy smile. The smile Xander returned was so full and so bright and so _him_ that Lacey stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she dared, burying her face on his chest as he wrapped his own arms around her shoulders. She was vaguely aware that she was holding up virtually all of Xander's weight, and that Spike was standing nearby, probably waiting for one or both of them to collapse again. She forgot about Simon and Kaylee until Kaylee cleared her throat tentatively.

Lacey turned her face so her cheek rested on Xander's chest as she quickly took in Simon's appalled (or maybe it was worried) look and gently led Xander back to the bed, absently adjusting it to a sitting position and settling herself back as Xander leaned back between her legs, his back resting against her chest, his head tilting back slightly to rest heavily on her shoulder. Lacey glared at Simon, daring him to tell her she had to move. He didn't. He just went back to his check of Xander, working around her.

"So… Ace?" Kaylee asked curiously, unable to stand the silence for long.

Lacey finally focused on the mechanic, and she smiled, "It's my name, Kaylee."

Kaylee's nose scrunched a bit with a confused look, "Ace?"

Lacey felt Xander chuckle, "I've only gone by Rachel since I joined _Serenity_. My name is Legacy. My friends call me Lacey or Lace. Xander calls me Ace."

**Translations:**

_shuài_ – handsome

_yúbèn_ – stupid

_Bùyàojǐn_ – doesn't matter

_Jiějie_ – big sister

_húndàn_ - bastard


	8. Hands of Blue

**The Black, February 2520**

With Xander leaning against her, looking up at her the same way he used to after a particularly close call, everything else melted away. She rested her cheek on his head and tightened her arms around his shoulders as he dozed on and off. She didn't move until Spike cleared his throat from the doorway.

Lacey and Xander both looked up at him.

"Uh, hate to interrupt the intimate moment, pet, but unless you want an even less pretty repeat of the bar in Beaumonde, I suggest you give lover boy a quick explanation… or a sedative. Cap'n is on his way down."

Lacey's arms tightened around Xander, "Uh, Xan… you trust me?"

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion, "Of course."

Lacey heard Mal's boots outside the infirmary "Don't kill my captain."

The confusion deepened.

"He, uh… well, he looks exactly like Caleb."

Xander tensed.

"It's not him, I promise."

"Really not, mate." Spike interjected, "I'da been long gone if he was."

Xander tensed further and pressed back against Lacey, who wrapped her arms tighter around him, as Mal came through the door. Lacey really couldn't fault him for the wary glare.

Mal looked over Xander's head to Lacey, "This one ain't gonna try to kill me too, is he?"

Lacey shook her head, "No sir. He's good."

Mal shook his head, almost sympathetically, "This Caleb fella really musta done a number on you lot."

"Took my eye." Xander offered with a weak gesture toward his face.

Mal moved cautiously toward the bed, "Sorry I'm wearin' his face kid, but I am right fond of it, to be honest, and I'd take it as a kindness if you didn't try to muss it up."

Lacey felt Xander relax just a bit. Her heart swelled when he lifted his hand, "Xander Harris."

Mal reached out and grasped it, "Malcolm Reynolds."

**New Melbourne, February 2520**

The job for the rancher had gone smoothly. Well, smoothly by _Serenity_ standards. Jayne and Lacey were the only ones who had been shot, and Lacey's was more of a graze that was already well on its way to being healed. The rancher had paid well enough that everyone's cut was larger than usual, and there was still enough for some much needed repairs and restocking. Lacey and River were picking up the last of the supplies when River suddenly froze, eyes frantically searching the crowded market.

The girl dropped to a crouch and threw her arms over her head, muttering quickly, and repetitively, "Two by two, hands of blue, two by two, hands of blue…"

Lacey's eyes went wide. She shouldered the pack before hauling the younger girl up to her feet, "River, look at me. Focus, _mèimei_." River did. "Can you tell me where they are?" River nodded. "Tell me, then go back to the ship. Avoid them."

River did as she was told, taking the supply pack with her.

Legacy doubled back until she was behind the two men. Her Slayer senses were on high alert. These men were human, but there was something inherently evil about them. She would only be able to get one of them back to the ship without attracting too much attention. And she couldn't take even one and be certain that he wasn't injected with some kind of tracker. If only she had Willow to do a cloaking… oh! She quickly unwrapped on of the bracelets on her wrist. A little blood or spit from whoever she put it on, and no tracking, magical or otherwise, would work.

When the two men turned into an alley she knew was empty, she knew they knew they were being followed. She paused just around the corner, remembering Jayne's warning about the 'stick things' the blue hands carried. Her only chance would be to catch them off guard. She took a deep breath and sprinted into the alley full speed. She took satisfaction in the looks of shock they weren't fast enough to hide. She reached the first and snapped his neck without remorse or hesitation. The second raised a slim silver wand, but Lacey jabbed him in the nose before he could do anything with it. As he fell to his knees, she hit him hard behind the ear, effectively knocking him out.

Glancing occasionally back to the busy street, Lacey worked quickly. Dislodging a crystal from the hollow heel of her boot, she dropped it on the chest of the dead blue hand and closed her eyes against the flash as his body disappeared. Lacey made a mental note to ask Willow exactly where the bodies went when they used those crystals. She quickly dabbed a little blood off the face of the unconscious one before securing the bracelet firmly to his wrist. She used his jacket sleeve to clear away the rest of the blood and fished dark sunglasses out of her own jacket and shoved them onto his face. Glancing around the alley, Lacey bent swiftly to pick up the dropped silver wands and shove them into her inside jacket pocket before hauling the unconscious man up and repressing a shudder as she draped his arm over her shoulders before making her way back onto the busy street.

"What're you on about, Crazy?" Jayne growled as he bent to pick up the spilled contents of the supply pack River had promptly dropped before starting to pace the length of the cargo bay doors, muttering under her breath.

River ignored him and kept pacing.

He righted the bag and moved to block her path, ready to snap at her again before she looked up at him and he saw the terror in her eyes, "What's wrong, girl?"

River's eyes were impossibly wide and she glanced back and for the between Jayne and the doors, "_Wufa liánjié_. Can't see. Too much." She suddenly dropped into a crouch and started rocking slightly, "Two by two, hands of blue."

Jayne caught on more quickly than anyone would probably ever give him credit for, "_Tā mā de_! They're here?"

River looked up and him and nodded, tears in her eyes, "_Jiějie_ sent the girl back. Told her to focus. Wanted to protect her."

Jayne thought quickly, "She coming back?"

"_Wufa liánjié_. Can't see." River repeated, eyes going back to the door.

Jayne reached down and hauled her up to her feet, "Don't look with yer brain, Crazy. You got faith she's coming back?"

River got a faraway look, like she was lost in a memory, before nodding.

"Then you do what Lacey told you. Focus. Go get this pile of _fèi tiě_ ready to fly. Everyone else is already on board. Soon as she's on board, and I lock the doors up, you lift off, _dǒng ma_?"

River nodded and scampered off as Jayne turned his head toward the door, one hand the controls, the other on his gun.

Lacey was grateful to see Jayne waiting for her, but held her hand up to signal for him not to hit the locks right away. She quickly stripped the blue hand of his suit, so he was bare as the day he was born (save the bracelet she'd put on him), and chucked it out the doors and onto the docks before letting Jayne close the doors. The big merc glared down the unconscious man at their feet and, recognizing his face, kicked him hard in the ribs, as if he couldn't help it. Lacey didn't blame him. The very second the doors sealed, _Serenity_ was lifting off, and Mal was stumbling across the catwalk, cursing.

Spotting his two mercenaries scowling down at a naked man in the cargo bay, Mal decided they must have something to do with his ship liftin' off without his command. He abandoned his path to the bridge and joined them in the cargo bay, regaining his balance as he went.

He stopped just behind them, "What in the _gorram_ hell?"

Both spun to face him. Lacey turned to Jayne and nodded to the body, "Take him to the passenger dorms, truss him up good, don't take your eyes off him, and make sure that bracelet stays on him."

Mal was shocked when the mercenary did exactly as he was told without even grumbling.

Lacey turned back to the captain, "I'll explain in just a minute, right now we need to get to the bridge and give River a heading."

River had a white-knuckled grip on _Serenity_'s controls. Sensing Lacey stepping onto the bridge, she let go completely to turn and throw her arms around Lacey. Lacey held the younger girl tightly, but simultaneously dropped into the pilot's seat, River ending up in her lap, to grab the controls before they could crash. River had her face buried in Lacey's neck and didn't even comprehend the possible consequences of her actions. Lacey guided the ship around and landed in an open field on a more uninhabited portion of the planet, ignoring Mal's sputtering demands behind her.

Turning around, Lacey found all of _Serenity_'s inhabitants, save Jayne, had crammed onto the bridge. River had stopped shaking in her lap and seemed to have calmed. She looked up at Lacey with clear eyes and smiled almost wickedly, "Function as pairs. Lost without the other. _Huàile_. One pillar cannot support the doorway."

Lacey grinned back, "You saying he's gonna crack under the pressure?"

"Not right away."

"I got nothin' but time, _mèimei_."

River laughed as she stood and moved to perch in the copilot's chair.

Mal's patience was gone, "This is the last time I'm gonna ask. What in the _gorram_ hells is happening on my boat?! Why did we lift off without my command? Why is my albatross freakin' out then goin' all creepifyin'? And why is there a naked man trussed up in my passenger dorms?"

Kaylee let out a bit of a choking sound at the last one, and even Zoe looked a bit surprised.

Lacey answered straight as she could, "Those 'hands of blue' River was on about before I showed up? He's one of them. Bastards almost caught us in the market, but River made 'em first. Thought it might be profitable to see if I can't get some answers outta him."

Everyone had paled.

"What happened to the other one?" Simon asked, almost silently.

"Snapped his neck." Lacey answered calmly.

Simon nodded, "Good." Lacey had to admire the gratified malice she saw in the doc's face.

Always the voice of reason, Zoe asked, "What if he's got a tracker?"

"Already took care of it." Lacey told her.

Mal debated briefly with himself, but decided this was too important to be mad at his crew for not takin' the time to fill him in, so he just looked to Lacey and nodded.

Before she could panic at sight of the blue hand, River felt a heavy hand fall on her shoulder. She looked up to see Jayne. She reached out tentatively toward his mind; he had his walls built so strong that his mind had become her safe place. Not that she could ever tell him that. He would be angry. But his thoughts were solid and calm. His mind was her anchor. She was safe there with only the shallow thoughts he let surface. She recoiled momentarily at the boiling tide of dark red rage that poured out of him toward the blue hand. When she worked past it, she found a little of something else had trickled past his walls. She drew in a little gasp when she recognized it. He was worried about her. He cared. He didn't want her hurt again. Especially not by the ones who'd cut into her brain.

When the blue hand started to stir, Jayne's hand tightened on her shoulder and she pressed back into the solid wall of his chest, silently accepting the uncharacteristic protection and support he was offering.

Lacey leaned over the blue hand as he started to stir, her mind planning quickly how to handle this.

"What are you going to do to him?" Book asked from the doorway where the crew was gathered.

Lacey smiled devilishly, "Channel my inner Faith."

She kicked the blue hand in the head, making sure he's stay out for a bit longer.

Xander puzzled over Lacey's choice of words. Then her heard River laugh. Then remembered what the mechanic, Kaylee, had said. River was a reader – a psychic. Then Xander laughed, getting an idea of what Lacey might do. He looked at River, who nodded her head in confirmation. Xander settled back against the wall to watch, knowing the good doctor and the Slayer who was the object of his, and everyone else's at the moment, attention, would be irritated with him later, and he'd be sore and tired, but it would be worth it.

Lacey borrowed a really big knife from Jayne, grabbed an apple from the mess, and then slouched into a chair, the naked man at her feet. As he started to stir again, Lacey kicked him again, this time in the ribs where Jayne had kicked him earlier, and grinned in satisfaction as he groaned and opened his eyes to glare up at her. Lacey began slowly and methodically cutting a slice out of the apple.

"Morning, sunshine!" she greeted cheerily.

Glare.

"Mmm… lookin' like you woke up on the wrong side if the bed."

Glare.

"Got a name? Don't suppose I've ever heard a proper one for you."

Glare.

"How about I call you Bob? No? Okay."

Glare.

"Sure you don't have a name?"

"Where is my partner?" he finally ground out.

"Oh! He speaks!" Lacey grinned and sarcastically feigned shock.

"Where is my partner?"

"Oh, right! Sorry. 'Bout that… 'fraid he won't be joinin' the party."

Glare.

"You know those pesky little vertebrae that keep the mind connected to the rest of the body? I might have decided he didn't quite need those anymore and wrenched his head around a mite further than a human's head is meant to go." Lacey explained calmly. Almost like an afterthought she added, "Though to be honest, I have a hard time thinking of you bastards as human."

The blue hand paled. Then he started to struggle against his bonds. Lacey kicked him again, by all appearances the kick was almost casual, even light, but Xander knew how much power was behind even the smallest of the Slayer's touches, if she wanted it there. The blue hand winced and grunted in pain as he stopped struggling and Lacey leaned forward to tilt his chin up with the point of the knife. She shook her head admonishingly before casually leaning back again to cut another slice from the apple.

"Now, I've got some questions. You're gonna answer them."

He spat toward her feet.

"You're gonna answer them, or I'm gonna let the big guy there," Lacey used the knife to point to Jayne, "convince you. Don't much care how he does it."

"I am not frightened by some piece of scum hired gun from the Rim." the blue hand sneered.

Lacey shrugged, cutting another apple slice, "I wouldn't be either under normal circumstances." Lacey leaned forward, acted like she was whispering conspiratorially, "But between you and me, 'cause he wouldn't ever admit it, he's got a soft spot for the little girl you're after. He don't take too kindly to the fact that someone went in and played 'round with her brain. And the man really likes causin' pain. It's been a mite long since we let him draw blood just for the sake of it." She leaned back again.

The blue hand glared, "My people will find me. And you will pay."

Lacey laughed, "No one's gonna find you. I took all your toys away and added an extra caution besides."

The man finally seemed to notice he was naked and tried ineffectually to cover himself, "You can't take out the tracker they planted on me."

"Don't need to. _You_ can't shake off the cloaking spell I planted on you."

His eyes widened.

Lacey set the apple core aside and began twirling the knife idly around.

"Magic?" the blue hand finally asked.

"You don't seem particularly surprised."

His eyes flicked toward River before he could stop them.

Lacey's eyes narrowed, "You know what she is, then."

His eyes snapped back to Lacey and widened even further.

"I'll take that as a yes. I'm the same. But I'm older, I'm stronger. And I'm as close to someone like me can be to sane."

The glare came back, but this time it was tinted with fear.

"You don't want to be afraid of our merc, fine. I'm worse anyway. And you're going to tell me everything I want to know, or I'm gonna close that door and you and me are going to spend some quality time introducing you to what the power you tried to control in her can do in someone with a sound mind."

Xander was scared for the guy, even if he deserved it and worse. Ace was one scary chick when she wanted to be. Hell, all his girls were, but Legacy and Faith were the worst and this was Legacy channeling Faith's cocky bravado. It was simultaneously scary and hot. He noticed when the implications of Lacey's words sunk in and suddenly the words were pouring out of the naked guy's mouth, and Lacey's satisfied smirk turned into a mask of horror as the man went on. Her expression was mirrored by the rest of the crew.

By the time the hand of blue stopped talking, River was still standing only because Jayne was holding her. The rest of the crew dispersed silently to deal with the revelations they'd been presented with in their own ways.

When they were the last ones present, Lacey exchanged one look with the big merc and silently traded him places, shielding River as Jayne laid into the man.

**Translations:**

_mèimei_ – little sister

_Wufa liánjié_ – no way to connect

_Tā mā de_ – shit/f***

_Jiějie_ – older sister

_fèi tiě_ – scrap iron

_dǒng ma_ – understand

_gorram_ – damn

_Huàile_ – It's broken


	9. Aim to Misbehave

**New Melbourne, February 2520**

By the time Jayne walked back out of the room, the blue hand was a very accurate representation of a bloody pulp. He was still breathing, though, so apparently Jayne had more self-control than Lacey would have initially given him credit for. She was glad for it though, because it meant she'd get to put the _gǒucàode húndàn_ out the airlock when they lifted off again.

Lacey watched Jayne stalk off toward the showers, and stood still, just holding River. She didn't move when Zoe planted herself at the door, just nodding acknowledgement when the first mate said she'd be taking the night watch. Less than ten minutes later, Jayne came stalking back in clean clothes with damp hair. Lacey didn't protest when he picked River up and carried her off. Lacey still didn't move.

Xander knew Lacey didn't realize he was still there. He was in the shadows, for one thing. Not like that would stop her from noticing, normally. Slayer senses and all. But she was completely focused on River. And she should be. That's how she was. Never giving into herself when someone else was in pain. That was his girl. That thought gave him pause.

In the short time since he'd woken up, they hadn't really talked much. That first night, she'd just held him, not saying a word before or after introducing the captain. Over the following days she'd explained what year it was, that they were on a space ship, the effects of Will's spell, who was still around and where they were. Spike had explained how some of the others had died, the differences in how they had to track and fight monsters in the 'Verse, and gossiped about the fights and flings Xander had missed out on over the last 500 years. The vampire hadn't mentioned Lacey in relation to any flings, but Xander wasn't naïve enough to assume she'd spent the last 500 years alone. What he didn't know, was if she had someone now, or if she would still want him even if she didn't.

Xander jumped when Spike appeared beside him.

Spike gave a half-hearted grin, "Still easy to spook, mate."

Xander glared.

"She's still yours."

Xander blinked, "Huh?"

"That's what you were wondering, wasn't it?"

"How'd yo –"

"Used to look at Buffy the same way, mate. Hell, still do." Spike admitted.

"How do you know?"

"In 500 years, she's only had a handful of involvements, mate. Can count 'em on less'n two hands. And not a one of 'em lasted more'n a couple months. Her heart was never in any of 'em. That died when she thought you did, mate. 500 years is a long time to hold a torch."

Xander stared at the other man.

"She's still yours. Always has been. Always will be."

"How can you be so sure?"

Spike smiled in a self-depreciating manner, "Love isn't brains, it's blood." the vampire said, as if that answered everything, and walked away.

Xander stared after him. When he finally turned his gaze back to Lacey, Zoe was positioned at the blue hands door, and Jayne was carrying River off. Lacey still didn't move. Xander didn't move until he got a pointed look from Zoe. That woman scared him. He hadn't even realized she knew was there. But he got the message. He stepped forward, suddenly realizing how exhausted and sore he was, but he grit his teeth against it and laid a hand on Lacey's shoulder. Her eyes widened as she turned to him.

"Xander! I didn't realize you were still here."

"Where else would I be?" he asked, gently turning her to him.

Lacey shook her head, in a motion he recognized as her trying to focus, "You should be res –"

He lifted a hand gently to her lips, cutting her off, "Uh-uh. No focus-brain. No worrying about me. My turn to worry about my girl."

Her eyes lifted to his and he brushed a curl out of her face as he bent to kiss her gently. She sighed and leaned into him. He fought not to step backward.

"Ace, not that you're even close to heavy, but I'm not quite up to holding you up quite yet. How about we just make with the cuddles for now?"

Lacey laughed lightly and nodded her agreement, lacing her fingers through his.

He tugged her toward the hall, leading her away before stopping awkwardly. He had yet to move out of the infirmary, and no way he was going back there with her now, "Uh… Ace?"

"Hmm?" she hummed against his side.

"Hate to dampen the mood, but uh… unless you wanna put on a show in the infirmary, I don't have a clue where I'm going."

Lacey laughed outright and tugged him toward her bunk.

Lacey stood barefoot in the field where she'd landed _Serenity_. The stars were shining bright above her and a heavy mist was falling around her. It was cold, but he didn't mind. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, and she could almost imagine she was home.

"What're you doin' out here, little one?" Mal's voice drifted toward her.

She grinned over her shoulder at the captain, "I love this planet."

Mal reached her and rested an arm lightly around her shoulders, "I was catchin' that notion. Figured you'd be all cuddled up to Eyepatch, though."

Lacey glared at him playfully, but smiled at the conjured image of Xander snoring lightly in her bunk, as Mal tugged her a bit closer.

"Reminds me of home." she told him, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Verbena?"

Lacey chuckled, "Ain't actually from Verbena, remember, Cap?"

"Right. Cause you're older than half the stars." Mal asserted.

Lacey elbowed him easily in the gut.

"Ugh. Alright, alright… so this is like Earth-that-Was?"

"Mmm, one of the closest I've set foot on."

Mal was quiet for a moment, then, "Almost wish you'da been with us at Miranda, just so you coulda seen the planet itself."

A grin tugged at Lacey's lips, "I'll get there."

Mal quickly spun her out to face him, hands on her shoulders, "Beg your pardon?"

"Miranda. I'll get there."

Mal's eyes went almost comically wide, "That's straight through Reaver territory, you _feng le_ –"

Lacey shrugged, "You've done it before."

"Desperate times. And we lost a good man."

Lacey sighed, "Desperate times will come again, Captain. And desperate times of these measures have an unsettling tendency to involve my family. With everything we just learned about the Academy…" Lacey shuddered and trailed off before continuing, "I want my family beyond Alliance reach. Spike showing up when he did, and Xander being here again… the Powers that Be have something in mind. I don't reckon I'm gonna like it, but at least they seem like they're trying to get us ready for it this time."

"Powers that… girl, sometimes you're more _feng le_ than River."

Lacey grinned, "Just wait 'til you meet Faith."

"Faith?"

"My sister. Captain, I'd like to take all of you to Verbena."

Mal shrugged, "Well, we ain't got another job lined up, and Verbena ain't but a skip away. Don't see why not. You got a particular reason for it bein' now?"

"The things that blue hand told us… I need to tell my family. We can't let the Academy go on."

"And you think you can stop it?"

Lacey smiled, "That's the other reason I want to take you all with me. You've been told what I am. You understand, but there's no way for you to fully comprehend. I want to show you what we are. To show you what the power of a Slayer is. It's not something that's ever been quite understood in this 'Verse. I've only got the beginnings of a plan, but I'm done playing on the sidelines. Kaylee told me 'bout a little speech you made before Miranda. Something about bein' done with runnin' and aimin' to misbehave. My sister made a speech once, one that I didn't hear firsthand, but that stuck with me anyhow. Facin' down one 'a the biggest bads we ever seen and ya know what she says? "I'm standing on the mouth of hell and it's gonna swallow me whole. And it'll choke on me. We're not ready? They're not ready. They think we're gonna wait for the end to come, like we always do. I'm done waiting. They want an apocalypse? Well, we'll give 'em one. Anyone else who wants to run, do it now, 'cause we just became an army. We just declared war." And you know what? That war… hell choked. You have no idea what me and mine are capable of, but I aim ta show you." Lacey ended fiercely.

Mal looked a little startled.

Lacey grinned up at him, "I aim to misbehave."

The captain grinned back.

**The Black, February 2520**

Lacey began misbehavior the very next morning. As soon as they broke atmo, she dragged the simpering blue hand by his hair, belly down, through the cargo bay, none too gently. Every protest from him just intensified her glare.

"Can't have you runnin' home to warn your friends I'm coming." she told him before sealing the airlock door and hitting the release button with a satisfactory thunk. Even the preacher hadn't once objected.

**Translations:**

_gǒucàode húndàn_ – dog-humping bastard

_feng le_ - crazy


	10. Calm Before the Storm

**The Black, January 2520**

Lacey swatted Jayne's hand away as it inched closer to the real chocolate cake on her plate.

Xander laughed, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've seen her kill a man for getting between her and her chocolate. Well, he was a vampire, but still, the point stands."

"What stands on what?" Jayne questioned.

Xander looked incredulous, "Seriously? Is there anything besides hot air floating between your ears?"

Lacey considered telling them to knock it off, but seeing Zoe's grin, decided to let it slide.

Xander raised an eyebrow toward Lacey as she tossed her cards onto the table, "Seriously, Ace? 500 years and Spike can still beat you every time?"

Lacey glared at him playfully, "Oh, _qù níng zìjǐ_!"

Jayne chuckled and the Shepherd raised his eyebrows in slight admonishment. Lacey ignored the both.

Xander responded with, "Huh?"

Spike snickered, "'Go screw yourself,' mate."

Xander's brows both went up, "Oh." Then a wicked gleam entered his eye, "Well who do you think did before you came along?"

It was Lacey's turn to quirk an eyebrow, "Faith?" she challenged pseudo-innocently.

Jayne choked on his coffee and spit half of it across the table, the preacher pounding on the big merc's back.

Xander's jaw dropped before he answered, "…Touché."

Spike tried to hide his grin behind his cards.

**Verbena, February 2520**

About two hours before sunset, Lacey guided _Serenity_ down into the front pasture, knowing Dawn was going to be pissed at her for scaring her chickens, but not quite caring. It had been more than a year since she left, and for the first time since they'd left Earth, she was coming home with more good news than bad. She'd considered waving ahead, but over five centuries with the Scoobies had given her a flair for the dramatic. That flair for the dramatic also accounted for the fact she and Zoe would be the only ones hitting dirt until after she'd offered her family some explanations.

_Serenity_ powered down, Lacey made her way into the cargo bay, where Zoe already had the doors opened. In the space beyond, she could see Buffy and Faith on the porch, warily eyeing the ship. They immediately relaxed as Lacey walked down the ramp. They were on her before she could blink. Zoe stood back patiently as Lacey stood and brushed herself off before wrapping the other Slayers in a proper hug.

"Dawn is gonna kill you!" Faith taunted, eyeing the ship that was practically in their front yard.

"What Faith means is that it's good to see you." Buffy said wryly.

Lacey laughed, "I know Dawn's gonna kill me. But she was anyway, so I figured why not really give her a reason?"

Willow came flying off the porch, and Lacey caught the witch as she launched herself toward her.

"Ah! Good to see you too, Will!" Lacey gasped.

Dawn walked up calmly behind Will, "Thought I _wén guò pì_."

Lacey almost snorted out a very undignified guffaw, "Real mature, Dawnie."

Dawn shrugged and headed back into the house.

"I really pissed her off this time, didn't I?"

Will nodded, "Yup."

Lacey groaned. "Great." She turned toward Buffy and Faith, "I'll introduce you to everyone later. We need to talk first. For now, this is Zoe, the first mate. Feel free to chat while I go kiss Dawn's _pìgu_."

The older Slayers howled with laughter behind her as she stalked into the house and directly into the kitchen, ignoring Andrew's surprised gasp and Giles' curious look.

Dawn was angrily slicing vegetables, "How many extra people am I feeding?"

"Nine besides me." Lacey answered.

Dawn nodded in acknowledgement without turning.

"How bad did I mess up this time?"

Dawn finally turned to Lacey with tears in her eyes, "You've been gone for more than a year! And as if that wasn't bad enough, you've barely even called home! Just the occasional check in or demand to look into something! That's not how family treats each other!"

Lacey winced under Dawn's tirade, "_Duìbùqǐ_, _mèimei_."

Seeing the genuine remorse on her face, Dawn relented a bit, "_Bìzuǐ_ and come gimme a hug."

Lacey obeyed. Pulling back, she looked Dawn in the eyes, "Tell you a secret to make up for some of it?"

Dawn's eyes brightened grudgingly and she nodded, "Better be a good one."

Lacey grinned wickedly, "Spike's on the ship."

Dawn's jaw dropped and Faith rounded the corner, "You brought Spike back?! I take it back, Dawn's not gonna kill you. Buffy is."

Lacey grimaced, "Damn it, Faith! You were not supposed to hear that."

Faith grinned, "Too bad. This is gonna be fun! Gotta love it when the prodigal comes home."

"Isn't that usually you?" Lacey shot back.

"Exactly."

Gathered in the study, Lacey leaned against the fire place mantle and took a moment to lovingly observe her family. Giles was seated behind his desk with Dawn and Will perched on the edge. Buffy was curled into one wingback chair in front of the fire, and Faith was sprawled in the chair opposite Buffy. Robin was leaning over the back of Faith's chair. Andrew sat cross-legged at Lacey's feet. The minis had been banned from the study and assigned to other chores for the time being. Zoe was stationed by the door. Lacey was amused that even the minis were scared of the first mate.

She took a deep breath and turned to Will, "What did you find out about the Academy I asked you to look into?"

Will looked a bit defeated, "Not much. It's government run. The Blue Sun Corporation is a major sponsor. Their students are mostly recruited. There's virtually no records. With a bit of magical help I figured out there's some connection to major secrety guys who wear blue gloves."

Giles saw Lacey tense, "Legacy, you know something more?"

Lacey nodded tightly, "Yesterday morning I threw one of those 'major secrety guys' out our airlock after letting our merc beat the daylights outta him."

Willow and Dawn's eyes both widened in horror.

"He deserved much worse." Zoe added quietly, an edge entering her usually calm voice.

Lacey went on, "The Academy seeks out exceptional people. When they get them, they cut into their brains, they strip away certain functions and barriers. They try to tear away their humanity and turn them into weapons to serve their own purpose."

"Exceptional people?" Buffy asked the weighted question quietly.

Lacey nodded, "I haven't been able to confirm it, but I'd bet almost everything on it. We've wondered before why the number of minis dropped so much so soon after leaving Earth. Now we know. The Alliance, through the Academy, is seeking out Slayers."

Giles spoke first, "We can't let this stand."

"That's why I came home."

"We're taking them out." Faith said. It wasn't a question.

Lacey nodded, "My crew will help, but we need to gather our strength, and we need a plan."

"First thing's first then, let's meet the crew."

"About that…" Lacey smiled, "I've got a few surprises."

A few minis joined them as they gathered around _Serenity_'s ramp. Lacey glanced around to make sure everyone was there.

Faith had a gleam in her eye and the devil's own grin, "Get on with it!"

Lacey winked at the brunette, "Oh come on, you know me with the dramatics. And I so rarely get such an opportunity.

Faith rolled her eyes.

Lacey turned her attention back to the group at large, "Alright, crew first. You've met Zoe. Before I call the rest of them out… don't go killing my captain."

Buffy and Faith both quirked eyebrows curiously.

"He looks a mite too much like an unfriendly face from our past. But he's _not_ the same person. It's just genetics repeating. Try to keep that in mind."

Lacey signaled for the crew and the filed down the ramp. Giles, Robin, and Dawn gasped and stumbled backwards. Willow's hands began sparking. Faith's hand went to the knife at her hip as Buffy frantically flicked her gaze around, looking for anything that could be a weapon. Lacey moved into their line of vision and raised her hands in a placating manner.

"Remember that bit I _just _said about _not_ killing my captain?" Lacey reminded them, "He's not Caleb, no matter the resemblance."

"_Cao wo_." Faith muttered, relaxing minutely.

"That an invitation?" Robin leaned forward to ask.

Faith elbowed him in the gut, but laughed and relaxed to her usual casual stance.

Buffy remained tense, but stood down.

Lacey nodded and gestured to each person as she spoke, "Captain Malcolm Reynolds. Simon here is our brilliant doctor. Kaylee, there, well, she's the best mechanic in the 'Verse. Shepherd is Book, don't worry he's cool. I trust him. Counselor is Inara. And the big ape-lookin' boulder is Jayne, merc extraordinaire." Lacey winked at Jayne before he could growl at her. "Anyone seen Riv –"

Lacey paused as she spotted River hanging from _Serenity_ just above Jayne. A grin tugged at her lips. The girl dropped, landing squarely on Jayne's unsuspecting shoulders. The big merc stumbled and cursed as he caught his balance.

"What the?! You _feng le_… you tryna ta kill me, girl?" Jayne growled up at her as Lacey's grin turned full blown.

River shrugged unapologetically, "The girl needed a perch. _Yōng bīng_ was logical choice."

Mal chuckled, "Sounds 'bout right to me, albatross."

Jayne continued grumbling, but Lacey noticed that he also reached up to grip River's ankles, keeping her steady as she leaned her arms on his head and rested her chin in her hands.

Lacey turned back to Buffy and Faith, "Next order of business, which one of you died?"

Buffy looked shocked. Faith looked guilty. Lacey and Buffy exchanged a look and shifted so they were standing shoulder to shoulder in front of Faith before simultaneously punching the brunette Slayer in the face. Faith stumbled back, saved from falling only by the fact that Robin was still standing right behind her.

Faith straightened, scrubbing hands under her now bleeding nose and across a busted lip, "Thankfully, B, you s_till_ hit like a girl. But damn, Lace. Was that really necessary? I was only dead for about a min –" Faith cut off under Buffy and Lacey's glares, and raised her hands in surrender, "Alright, alright… how'd you know?"

Lacey shifted her gaze; Buffy and Faith followed her eyes and gasped.

Faith spoke first, "Damn. Haven't felt mojo like that since you showed up."

"Same here." Buffy agreed.

Simon cleared his throat and the Slayers tore their gaze from River.

The doctor blushed a little, "Uh, sorry to interrupt, but if you could maybe explain to the rest of us what you're talking about."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Lacey," Book offered, "but I believe they're referencing to the fact that River is a Slayer."

Lacey nodded, "And if I had to hazard a guess, the first truly called since me."

Simon looked, a little dumbstruck, toward River, who just smiled down at him, "Oh."

Silence rang for a few moments before the evil gleam returned to Faith's eyes as Lacey shifted a little nervously.

"Ohh, is this the part where you ask B not to kill you?" Faith asked excitedly.

Dawn tried to muffle her laugh into her arm as Buffy turned a questioning face toward Lacey.

Lacey glared at Faith, "I was gonna go with 'Please remember you love me,' but 'Don't kill me' is accurate too…" Lacey turned back to Buffy, "So, Buff, please remember you love me, please don't kill me… and remember I'm the only one the new Slayer trusts right now." Lacey added the last bit as a half-true afterthought. Thankfully, River didn't correct her. "Your turn, _lǎo péngyǒu_." Lacey called up the ramp.

Spike descended the ramp, nervously eyeing Buffy as he stopped directly in front of her. Legacy took a step back, still half worried that Buffy was going to decide to strangle her. Buffy, however, wasn't paying any attention to her. Without a moment's hesitation, the blonde Slayer stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Spike, burying her face in his chest. Spike folded himself into her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and burying his face in her hair. Around them, their family let out a collective breath that Lacey doubted anyone realized they'd been holding. They pulled apart slightly, leaving an arm each wrapped around the other and leaning into each other. Lacey nodded almost imperceptibly when Buffy silently mouthed 'Thank you.'

"Well, don't think we can get much more dramatic than that." Faith announced, "Let's eat."

Spike laughed, "As much as we all know I love my own dear self, we haven't even gotten to the best part yet, luv."

River sat up excitedly before leaping nimbly off of Jayne's shoulders, "X marks the spot!"

Lacey turned to Zoe, "Think it's safe to assume that means she's getting him?"

"Don't think it's safe to assume anything when it comes to River, but that's certainly what it sounded like." Zoe answered with a hint of amusement.

Lacey turned to Simon, who just shrugged before she could ask. She was answered a moment later as River worked her way carefully down the ramp, supporting Xander slightly. At the collective gasp of disbelief, he grinned tentatively. Gazes snapped toward Lacey.

Lacey shook her head, "No genetic repeats. It's him." Buffy, Faith, and Dawn all surged forward. Lacey tried to yell over their clambering, "Be careful! He's hurt!"

River stepped in front of the three women holding a hand out until they halted, "_Jiĕjie_ says to be gentle. Her Xander is broken." she told them sternly before stepping aside.

Lacey moved to River's side and wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders, squeezing gently in silent thanks as the other three hugged Xander as gently as they could manage. Lacey realized an important absence at the same time Xander did.

Willow hadn't moved from her spot. Her feet seemed rooted to the ground, a mask of disbelief frozen on her face. Xander gently disengaged from the other three women and moved gingerly to stand in front of his best friend. He reached out to grasp both her hands in his.

"Don't think I'm quite up to a Snoopy dance right now, Will. Think you can just my word that it's me?" Xander asked quietly.

That did it. Willow offered a brief, watery smile before breaking down and crying into his chest, assuring in a muffled voice that they were happy tears.

Lacey looked around her, knowing the reprieve was temporary, but feeling happy and whole for the first time in centuries.

River nodded against her shoulder, "Calm before the storm."

When Lacey's grip tightened a bit on the girls shoulders River looked up.

"Enjoy the calm. The worries of tomorrow are their own." River sounded so commanding that Lacey couldn't help but smile.

**Translations:**

_qù níng zìjǐ_ – go screw yourself

_wén guò pì_ – smelled a fart

_pìgu_ – butt

_Duìbùqǐ_ – I'm sorry

_mèimei_ – little sister

_Bìzuǐ_ – shut up

_Cao wo_ – f*** me

_feng le_ – crazy

_Yōng bīng_ – mercenary

_lǎo péngyǒu_ – old friend

_Jiĕjie_ – big sister


	11. Weapon

**Verbena, February 2520**

After dinner, Will and Xander vanished into one of the training rooms for a few hours. When they came back, Will looked happy, albeit exhausted, and Xander was standing on his own and breathing much easier. Lacey could see the fresh scars peeking out from the neck of his shirt, but Will had significantly rushed the healing process.

Xander settled into a corner of the couch and pulled Lacey into his lap as his gaze roamed over the room. He paused on Buffy and Xander, who were sitting in a position disturbingly similar to that time they'd been engaged.

"I'm not gonna have to listen to 'Wind Beneath My Wings' any time soon, am I?" he asked a little too loudly.

Giles choked on his tea while Willow proceeded to spit hers out completely. Dawn dissolved into a fit of giggles. Spike was biting his lip nearly hard enough to draw blood, trying not to laugh, as Buffy glared across the room at Xander and Lacey, who was giggling almost as hard as Dawn.

Buffy opened and closed her mouth three times before giving up and just sticking her tongue out at Xander, eliciting another round of laughter from the room at large.

The blonde turned her face back toward Spike, "It's been 500 years. I'm not even gonna act embarrassed that I still want that song."

Spike grinned affectionately, "Just say when, luv."

Silence fell over the room.

Buffy finally managed a stunned, "Huh?"

Spike shrugged as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Don't rightly remember that we ever did actually break that engagement. Gotta say though, pet, never expected you'd make me wait 500 years."

Silence again.

"Uh, B, think the man's trying to ask you to marry him." Faith piped up.

"What she said." Spike confirmed without looking away from Buffy's face.

The stunned expression fell away from Buffy's face and a smile lit up her face as she nodded and leaned down to kiss the vampire.

About a minute later, Lacey tried to get their attention, "Uh, guys… room full of people still."

Neither seemed to hear her, and if they did, they didn't care. Everyone else quickly filtered out, leaving the space to the Slayer and the vampire.

Lacey turned her face up toward Xander's in the hall, "You know, I'm thinking they might have the right idea. But I vote for a room with a lock."

Xander nodded enthusiastically, "Race ya up the stairs."

Two nights later Lacey was spooned up against Xander, both with books in hand. Xander was being uncharacteristically quiet.

Lacey sighed and slammed her book shut, "What is it?"

Xander started and made a sound of protest as she pulled away from him, witting up and twisting so she was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed, facing him.

"What's what?" he asked.

"You. With the random broody silence."

"I'm not broody."

"Fine. Contemplative, moody, thoughtful –"

He cut her off and held his hands up in surrender, "Alright, alright!"

Lacey grinned in victory.

"I was just thinking about Buffy and Spike."

Lacey cocked her head to the side, "What about them?"

"Everything they went through to get to this point, all the doubts that both of them have had for so long, and now they're finally at this point, but it seems so sudden."

Lacey smiled a little sadly, "We've all learned that happiness is a gift to accept regardless of where it comes from… it just took Buffy a lot longer to get there than the rest of us. It's really not that sudden."

Xander nodded slowly in understanding, reaching out to twine his fingers with Lacey's as Simon poked his head in through their open door.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting…" Simon started.

Lacey shook her head and smiled, "Not at all. What's up?"

Simon stepped into the room, "Have you seen River?"

Lacey shrugged as she reached with her free hand for her book, "Check Jayne's room."

Simon made a kind of choking sound.

Lacey realized what her absentminded answer must have sounded like, "_Gorram_ it! Not like that. That's not what I meant, Simon. Last time I saw her actually sleeping, she was curled up like a cat at the foot of his bed."

Simon raised an eyebrow warily.

"Come here, _xiǎodì_, have a seat." Lacey motioned him over and patted the side of the bed. "I know you want to keep River safe, help her get better, but I'm not sure you quite understand what she needs right now."

Simon sat a little tensely on the edge of the bed, but he didn't seem offended, "How do you mean?"

Lacey sighed, "Si, you want her better. We all do. Thing is, I think you've done all you can for her. The meds you've got figured out have fixed her mind as much as they're able. She's been better since Miranda, you said. But those _gorram_ blue hands are still out there, and she's still frightened, doubly so with all the talk of the Academy around here. A sound mind doesn't always lend aid to feeling safe.

"At this point, I'd be her first choice, but she's respecting my space as Xander and I are refigurin' ourselves; I didn't ask her for it, but she's givin' it just the same. Zoe'd be safe, but not necessarily comforting, and River needs that whether she realizes it or not. Kaylee's the sweetest soul in the 'Verse, but farthest thing from a killer. And that's the same problem that comes with you; I have no doubt that you'll do whatever it takes to protect her, but killin' ain't a thing that'll ever sit well with you. Mal'd be the next logical choice; unfortunately, he's wearin' the face of on 'a the biggest bads me an' mine ever faced and that don't endear him none and makes mine feel a bit unsettled still to be honest, so not the safest place right this moment.

"Jayne's the only logical choice. He's a mercenary. Killin's what he does. He understands weapons, and to a point, you have to accept that River is one. It's part of being a Slayer. And even if it wasn't, the Academy would have turned her into a different kind of weapon. There's never before been a psychic Slayer, and that makes her even more special – put's her in more danger in this case.

"I know Jayne's had his rough patches, but he's really come 'round, and he wouldn't let a _gorram_ thing happen to a one of us, _mèimei _included, if not most of all. But aside from all that, Jayne is a rock, hell, he's a mountain. And without each other, rivers and mountains don't exist to their fullest. Right now, that big, grumpy merc is what River needs. She's safe with any of us, but she _feels_ safe with him. Iffen the rest of us don't see why she wants ta curl up at the end 'a his bunk, we deal. We don't gotta understand, so long as she's secure-like."

"That was right purty, Lacey." Kaylee said, smiling from where she'd appeared in the doorway.

Lacey dipped her chin in acknowledgement.

Simon huffed out a breath, "Well… it sounds like you understand it just fine."

Lacey shrugged and grinned ruefully, "We were cut from the same cloth, River 'n' me. Alliance just hasn't yet had the misfortune of picking me up instead of a young Slayer; I ain't never had no one pokin' 'round my brain pan like it were a playground."

Simon nodded slowly.

"And she'd right, anyhow, Simon." Kaylee said, "River's curled up like a lil' kitten on the end 'a Jayne's bed." A mischievous light came into the mechanic's eye, "And I'd be a new compression coil he'd deny it if ya asked him, but he's got her all covered up with his favorite blanket."

Kaylee's giggles were joined by Lacey and Xander's chuckles as Simon shook his head in something akin to disbelief.

Lacey noticed Xander's gaze had landed on her. When she turned to meet his eye, he started laughing in earnest.

"What?!" Lacey questioned.

Xander took a deep breath and shrugged, "When you get going like that you fall into that backwater dialect everyone seems to use these days. It's kinda cute."

Lacey threw a pillow at his face before joining him and laughing at herself.

**Verbena, March 2520**

Lacey was sitting on the back porch with Mal, sipping whiskey and discussing Mal's contacts who had responded to their cautious inquiries when Lacey noticed a figure approaching from the back pastures.

"That's weird…" she mumbled.

Mal followed her gaze, "What?"

Lacey realized the figure was likely still too far for Mal to see, "Someone's coming in from the back pastures."

"What's so weird about that?"

"Our land is warded. No one but us could get in unharmed or undiverted."

"So it's one of you. Still not seein' what's weird."

Lacey stood, "No one was assigned to the back pastures today."

Mal understood immediately. He unholstered his gun as Lacey pulled her sward from its sheath and set off toward the figure.

Before they reached the ground, River burst through the back door.

Lacey turned her gaze quickly to the girl, whose expression was alternating between happy and worried.

River's voice was a little strained, "Fell off the yellow brick road on his way home… wizard missed his witch, but got caught in the Black by the blue…"

Lacey's eyes widened as she caught on and she dropped her sword before taking off at a dead run toward the figure in the distance, slowing only briefly to yell over her shoulder at Mal, "Get Simon! And Willow! Tell her it's Oz!"

**Translations:**

_Gorram_ – damn

_xiǎodì_ – little brother

_mèimei_ – little sister


	12. Return of the Wolf

**Verbena, March 2520**

Mal paced one of the downstairs halls at the Slayer's ranch. After the _fèihuà_ River had spouted, Lacey had taken off faster than Mal had ever seen anyone move. He's been too stunned to go after the doc and Willow like she'd asked. Fortunately, River had done that, and they were both standing behind him by the time Lacey reached the figure in the distance. He watched as the figure stumbled and Lacey caught them before they could fall. He heard the sharp intake of breath from Willow behind him as Lacey lifted the figure and turned around, moving nearly as fast as she had unburdened. She'd breezed right past Mal, a short, pale man with knotted red hair in her arms, into the house, and down the hall. Simon and Willow had joined her in one of the downstairs bedrooms. River had followed moments later with Buffy and Faith in tow.

And now Mal was pacing. Flashes of light and tendrils of smoke were occasionally squeezing out from under the door and Mal caught occasional phrases, what sounded like chanting, in a language he didn't know.

He didn't like not knowing what was going on. Even if it wasn't on his ship. So Inara found him pacing.

She laid a hand gently on his arm, "Mal, _zhè shì zěnme huí shì_?"

Mal shrugged, almost desperately, "Don't know. Lacey saw someone coming in from the back pastures, River came out spoutin' some nonsense, then Lacey was carrying in this kid who'd been beat all to hell, and now…"

Inara let her hand drift down to take his and she pulled gently, and he followed her to the kitchen, where everyone else was gathered, sitting or pacing just as helplessly.

Willow shifted forward in her chair and ran her fingers gently through Oz's hair. Someone had washed it at some point, Willow was pretty sure it had been River… or maybe Kaylee. It didn't matter. Willow just knew she was exhausted and she wanted Oz to open his eyes so she could see if they were the same green she remembered. She spent almost 20 years with Kennedy before ending things. It had taken another 150 years and 2 more failed relationships before finally working up the courage to ask why everyone had cringed at her girlfriends since Tara.

_Buffy had shrugged a bit, "We loved Kennedy…"_

_Will had given her the Look._

"_Okay, so we kinda hated Kennedy. At least with you." Buffy clarified._

"_But why? It's not gonna hurt my feelings. I'm asking!"_

"_Well… you only had two relationships before her. Oz and Tara. And we loved them both. And we loved them both with you. Because they were right for you… the whole opposites attract thing? It's insane. Take it from the Slayer who fell in love with two vampires. It's okay to be with someone like you. They were both quiet and reserved-like and smart like you, but that worked. Kennedy was just a bossy brat. Jen and Kat were even worse. The whole extroverted dominant personality thing doesn't work with you, Will."_

And that was when Willow realized that it didn't matter what equipment her partner had externally, it mattered what equipment they had internally. She'd even dated a few guys after that, but every time she tried, her mind drifted back to Oz. He'd stayed on the ranch with them at first, but less than two years after they'd settled, he'd gone back to drifting. He still couldn't be around Willow, his feelings had never changed and it was just too hard. Occasionally they'd gotten word that someone had seen him. A few times he'd waved or written himself, but the day he left so long ago was the last time Willow had seen him. And now here he was again.

Between Simon's medical expertise and Willow's magic, his body was knitting itself back together, but there was no telling when he was going to wake up.

Willow took her hand in his before bowing her head into the bed to muffle her sobs.

"You're positive?" Giles asked.

Lacey shrugged helplessly, "He wasn't exactly coherent, but I'm pretty sure."

"Sure about what?" Robin asked, joining everyone in the kitchen.

"Oz escaped from the Academy."

**Translations:**

_fèihuà_ – nonsense

_zhè shì zěnme huí shì_ – what's going on


	13. An Alliance of Their Own

**Verbena, March 2520**

Lacey scanned the docks warily. The last of their allies were coming in today, and so far the arrivals had gone smoothly, but 500 years of experience had taught the Slayer to never let her guard down. She relaxed marginally when Mal raised a hand in greeting to their last pick-up. Then she tensed when she saw the man's face.

"_Zhēntāmā de méizhé_." Lacey didn't realize she'd uttered the curse aloud until Mal looked down at her curiously.

"_Shénme_?" he asked, tensing, ready for trouble.

Lacey shook her head and whispered harshly, "_Gorram_ it, Mal! You didn't tell me General Cole was one of your contacts!"

"Didn't know you were acquinted." Mal hissed back.

Lacey nodded tersely.

"We gonna have a problem?" Mal asked, a little anxiety creeping into his voice before admitting, "I trust the man with my life… hell, I'd trust him with my boat."

Lacey took a deep breath and shook her head, "I trust him just fine."

"Then what's the problem?"

Lacey shook her head as she pursed her lips tightly and ducked her head. Cole was two yards from them, time was up. Cole reached out and grasped Mal's arm tightly in a soldier's greeting. He turned to Lacey to do the same and had her arm in his grasp when he finally looked at her face as it rose to meet his. His grip on her arm tightened, his massive hand nearly completely circled her forearm, even as his tan face paled and his jaw dropped open.

Lacey looked up, he still towered over her, to meet his ice blue eyes and smiled tentatively, taking in the silver streaking his chocolate colored hair, pulled into a small pony tail at the nape of his neck. He was staring at her as if he'd seen a ghost.

Lacey spoke quietly, squeezing his arm gently, "_Lǎo péngyǒu, nǐ kànqǐlái hěn yǒu jīngshén_."

Her voice seemed to snap him out of his shock, he shook his head to clear it and looked at her in bewilderment, "_Wǒ de mā_… you haven't aged a day."

"And you've aged very well." Lacey stood on tiptoe to place a quick, chaste kiss on his lips before releasing his forearm and linking her own through his elbow and tugging him toward the mule, "I'll explain later, right now… well, you know docks make me paranoid."

Cole laughed and let himself be pulled along, a confused and annoyed Mal trailing behind them.

Pulling the mule into the ranch, Legacy smiled when she saw Xander with her back to her, running through drills with the minis. She grinned as she leaped to the ground… the opportunity was just too good. Besides, she hadn't seen him since early that morning. And he was currently shirtless… the picture was just too attractive.

Lacey took off at a dead run, pulling back only when she was right behind Xander, and tucked to tackle him around the waist. Within second he'd rolled to straddle her, stake in hand as he loomed over her.

Lacey crossed her arms behind her head and grinned up at him, "Good to see you haven't lost your reflexes, old man."

Xander groaned and rolled off her to lay beside her in the grass, "You're crazy, Ace."

She propped herself up on an elbow and winked down at him, "All part of the charm."

Cole chuckled as he leaned over Lacey and the young man in the eye patch she'd just tackled.

"That how you greet everyone in these parts?" Cole asked, eyes sparkling as he offered Lacey a hand up.

Lacey took it, grinning as he pulled her to her feet, "Nope. Just the special ones."

She turned and pulled the man up before stepping back into his arms and settling herself against his chest. Cole looked the man over critically. At first glance, he just looked like a goofy kid, but taking more than a five second look revealed the warrior in him. He was fit, well-muscled. And his collection of scars rivaled Cole's own; the three extending from his chest up to the bottom of his neck looked fairly recent, even. And there was steel in the warm brown eye that sized Cole up even as he was being sized up. Cole really wanted to ask how he'd lost the eye, but wasn't sure the curiosity would be well-received. He'd ask Lacey later.

Lacey gestured to Cole, "Xander, this is General John Cole, we fought together in the Unification War."

Xander extended one hand, while leaving the other twined around Lacey, "Xander Harris."

Cole shook Xander's hand before raising a questioning eyebrow at Lacey.

Lacey shrugged, "For lack of a better term, he's my husband."

Xander chuckled against her back even as he tightened his arms affectionately around her.

Cole's gaze shifted back to Xander, "You're a very lucky man, Mr. Harris." he said with sincerity.

"And don't I know it." the young man answered, a bit of suspicion creeping into his tone.

Lacey, always observant and even more often straight to the point, answered the unspoken questions, "Yes, I slept with him. Yes, we had a relationship."

Cole was surprised when the young man relaxed instead of tensing further.

"Why'd you end it?" Xander sounded curious, with none of the hostility Cole expected, but then again, he also had the look of a man who was confident he had nothing to worry about. Watching Lacey, Cole knew he was right.

Lacey bit her lip nervously.

Cole answered, "It was during the war. We were pinned down. We'd been trapped in a cave for days. Then one night, the gunfire just stopped. Eventually, we chanced a look out and the Alliance troops had backed off. They weren't anywhere in sight. Then a dozen and a half men were just… there. A hundred yards from the cave entrance. Next thing I know, a hand is grabbing the back of my shirt and throwing me back into the cave. I look up, and there's Lacey, sprinting out of the cave faster than I've ever seen anyone move. Before I could even yell, much less go after her, there was a massive boulder in front of the entrance. We could hear fighting outside. Then it was just eerily quiet. By the time we finally got the boulder out of the way, the valley was clear. None of the men Lacey had run to, no Alliance, no Lacey. There was nothing but ash and smoke. I thought she'd been killed."

Lacey cringed back into Xander and her voice came out as a whisper, "_Duìbùqǐ_."

Cole looked at her a bit despairingly, "What happened?"

Lacey took a deep breath, "Those men that came that night… they were vampires. I couldn't let them get to you. I never did figure out if the Alliance let them loose on us or if they took out the Alliance troops before coming for us, I didn't take the time to find out, I just made sure the way was clear for you to get out. Either way, though, they didn't count on me."

Cole blanched, "There were 20 of them!"

Lacey smiled fiercely, "I know. It was hardly even a fair fight."

Cole shook his head. Then the rest of her story sunk in, "Did you say vampires?"

Lacey eyed the group gathered in her living room. People seemed to be covering every surface. Xander leaned against the fireplace behind her. Giles occupied one wingback chair by the fire, Dawn and Andrew leaning over the back. Spike occupied the other, Buffy in his lap, Faith leaning against the back and Robin leaning against Faith. Oz was sunk into the corner of one couch, idly playing with Willow's hair as she sat at his feet.

Lacey smiled at the werewolf and he tried wearily to return it. He'd only woken up two days ago.

"_Willow?" Oz's voice rasped, as if questioning what he was seeing._

_Willow's head snapped up and a smile lit her face seeing him awake._

_Oz started shaking his head, "No… no. It's not gonna work this time. Stop screwing with my head. It's not gonna work!"_

_Lacey stepped away from the wall as Oz started trying to struggle out of the bed, his normally calm voice rising alarmingly. She pushed him back down as Willow looked up at her with tears in her eyes. Lacey held Oz down as he struggled, waiting for him to calm. He exhausted and collapsed back, panting, quickly._

_Willow reached up and caressed his face, trying to comfort him, but he flinched back from her touch. Willow's tears began to fall as she looked to Lacey helplessly._

_River drifted out of the shadows and Oz's eyes locked on the girl. Shock was the only word to describe the look on his face._

_River smiled tenderly, "_Zhè shì jiā_. Two by two, hands of blue… they have no power here._ Jiějie_ will protect us. They cannot hurt you. No more drops in the brainpan. What you see is your own."_

_Oz's voice was rough, "You. You escaped. It… it was how I knew it was possible. It was how I knew I could. I really made it?"_

_River smiled mysteriously before flitting out of the room. Lacey cautiously released Oz's shoulders before standing back. He looked to her briefly before turning to Willow. _

_He reached up to pull her hand back to his face, "They… I don't know how they did it, but they gave me these visions… hallucinations, trying to force me to lose my temper, force me to change. It was almost always you. You were there and then you were ripped away. Or you were hurt or trapped…" he trailed off._

_Willow shook her head, "This is real. You're home."_

_Oz glanced back to Lacey. She nodded, "_Huānyíng huílái_."_

_His gaze turned to Willow again, and he reluctantly set her hand aside. She brought it right back to his face. He looked at her questioningly._

_Will's smile was a bit wobbly as she quickly glanced to Lacey, who smiled encouragingly._

_Willow took Oz's hand in her free one, "Do you remember when you left me, and I asked you if you loved me?"_

_Oz looked ashamed, but nodded._

"_You told me you'd never loved anything else."_

"_You remember that?"_

_Will's smile grew, "Of course. Because I still feel that way about you. _Nǐ shì wǒ de yībùfèn_."_

_Lacey slipped out, determining to give the couple some privacy and share the good news that he was awake. And the news that her theory was right. He'd escaped from the Academy._

Kaylee and Simon were curled together on the end of the couch, and Jayne has somehow ended up in the middle. He hadn't even grumbled when River, who was wearing his ridiculous orange hat, perched on the back of the couch and flung her legs over his shoulders. In fact, he was absentmindedly rubbing her bare feet as she grinned down at his head. Lacey held back a laugh when the girl looked up and winked at her. Mal and Zoe were stationed at the door, Inara hovering near Mal's elbow. Book was perched on the edge of a coffee table. Cole was leaning against the wall next to a window, clustered by an admiring group of minis – Lacey really couldn't blame the, the man was as gorgeous as ever. More minis were scattered throughout the room, perched on chair and couch arms, cross legged on the floor, or balancing on the edge of coffee and side tables. Browncoats were everywhere. Mal and Zoe's cautious inquiries had turned up a lot more support than anyone had expected. A handful of the Browncoats were there at the direct request of the Slayers.

It wasn't much of an Army, but they'd worked with less. Lacey took a deep breath, ready to plunge in when River giggled.

"What're ya laughin' at, Moonbrain?" Jayne craned his head back toward her.

Before she could answer, the front door slammed open and half a dozen people poured in. Four of them were men roughly Jayne's size and two were tall, slim women. All were armed to the teeth and all had the same grey-blue eyes. Lacey immediately knew why River was laughing – these people couldn't possibly not be related to Jayne.

The older of the two women, gray streaks twining into her mostly brown braid, stepped forward, "We late for the party?"

River answered, "You are precisely on time, Mother Cobb."

"_Wǒ de mā_, there's more of them?!" Simon choked out.

Jayne growled, "Watch it, doc."

River kicked him, "Don't be a boob, Simon."

Jayne made a move to get up but his ma waved him off, "Boy, don't you dare. That girl looks right comfy." River giggled when the older woman winked at her over Jayne's grumbling.

"Didn't know iffen ya were gonna make it." Jayne told her.

His mother shrugged, "Didn't sound like there'd be time for a letter to get here before us and didn't see no sense on wastin' coin on a wave since we was comin' either way."

Jayne nodded, accepting her explanation.

She turned toward the front of the room, clearly sensing Lacey was in charge, she held out a hand and Lacey moved forward to reach for it, "Radiant Cobb."

"Legacy. You can call me Lacey."

Radiant nodded before gesturing to each of her children, "Cassidy, Avery, Sydney, and Delaney are my boys. And my girl there is Mattie."

"Pleasure to meet you all. We're glad to have the help. Find a spot where you can. And River is right, ya'll are precisely on time. I only want to explain this once."

The Cobb's settled themselves as Lacey returned to the front of the room.

She grinned slightly as she started speaking, "We're quite the motley crew, aren't we?" nervous chuckles briefly filled the room, "Can't tell you all what it means that you're here, but I'm lettin' you know right off the bat that no one will think any less of you if you leave after you hear what I have to say. We're forming an Alliance of our own. We aim to bring the Alliance another war. And we aim to win this one."

**Translations:**

_Zhēntāmā de méizhé_ – no f***ing way

_Shénme_ – what

_Gorram_ – damn

_Lǎo péngyǒu, nǐ kànqǐlái hěn yǒu jīngshén_ – dear/old friend, you look well

_Wǒ de mā_ – literally 'my mother,' an exclamation of mild surprise

_Duìbùqǐ_ – I'm sorry

_Zhè shì jiā_ – This is home

_Jiějie_ – big sister

_Huānyíng huílái_ – welcome back

_Nǐ shì wǒ de yībùfèn_ – You're a part of me


	14. Plan

**Verbena, April 2025**

"Between Simon, River, and Oz we're pretty confident about the Academy's layout. They're not expecting us. We have the supernatural on our side. Our numbers are more than I dared to hope for. I'm not saying this is going to be easy, but I feel like we actually have a fighting chance. For once, we're not going in half-cocked." Lacey told the Scoobies and the crew of _Serenity_. Plans for the impending attack on the Academy were in the polishing stages, and those present in this room were the only ones who knew every aspect of the plan… well, nearly every aspect.

"_Legacy, we need to talk." Oz said quietly._

"_Usually that phrase precedes a break-up, and as you're dating the most powerful woman I've ever met, I accept. No hard feelings." Lacey teased._

_Oz didn't even offer a half-hearted smile._

"Āiyā_, this is serious, isn't it?"_

_Oz nodded._

_Lacey sat._

"_You're determined to take out the Academy?"_

_Lacey raised an eyebrow, "You saying we shouldn't?"_

"_No. It needs to be done."_

"_Then yeah, I'm determined."_

"_In that case, there are some things you need to know. Specifically, about who runs the Academy."_

"_You trying to say it's not the Alliance?"_

"_I mean the individual in charge of it."_

"_I'm listening."_

"_You remember D'Hoffryn?"_

"_King of the Vengeance Demons, D'Hoffryn?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_He's in charge of the Academy?"_

_Oz nodded._

_River appeared through one of the bedroom windows, "Blames the Slayer's for breaking his favorite toy."_

_Lacey paled, "Anya."_

_River nodded before ghosting out the door._

_Lacey turned back to Oz._

_The werewolf shifted uncomfortably, "She's right. In theory, no one escapes from the Academy, so information flows pretty freely. D'Hoffryn spent some, er… quality time with me because I was actually a friend to the Slayers, the real Slayers, the ones he blamed for Anya's death. He always held some hope she'd come back to him, then she died helping the Slayers."_

_Lacey balled up her fists, "So he did what he does best. He plotted revenge. He targeted Slayers."_

_Oz nodded, "Taking him out won't be easy. He's changed. The exodus from earth gave him new powers, including being able to look human. Turns out earth dying left a lot of people wanting vengeance for… well, anything. They felt cheated and jilted and just wanted someone to pay. He gained a strength he never had on earth."_

_Lacey nodded wearily, the information sinking in, "Have you told anyone else about this?"_

_Oz shook his head, grinning slightly, "It would just lead to panic, if not outright disbelief, if everyone knew. Besides, you've the strategist."_

_Lacey chuckled mirthlessly before shaking her head and gathering her thoughts. "Okay, we need Will. She may know of a way we can weaken him."_

"Giles has but face." Buffy voice pulled Lacey back to the present.

"_Shénme_?" Lacey queried, silently cursing herself for not paying attention.

Buffy wasn't even phased, "You were listing all our advantages, but now Giles has but face."

"What's the old man's face gotta do with a _pìgu_?"

Faith snorted out her laughter.

"Not like that Jayne. She means it looks like he's about to say something along the lines of 'That's all well and good, but this, this, and this could go wrong.'" Lacey affected a Giles' British accent, smirking at the annoyance in the Watcher's face.

"I don't mean to be a spoilsport," Giles began, "but honestly, we don't know what to expect going in there. You said River had some sort of trigger the Academy implanted to set her off. I think it's safe to assume that is true of the Academy's 'students'. We have no way of knowing exactly what we're walking into."

"Well, you know what they say about assuming." Xander quipped, resulting in chuckles from the Scoobies and a glare from Giles.

Lacey bit off her laughter and stepped in, "Giles, I'm not denying that possibility. But we have to try. Now that we know more about the le –" Lacey cut herself off before she could give away too much, "Knowing what we do about the Academy, we cannot let it go on. Will's pretty sure she can come up with a spell that will render the triggers useless."

A few of the assembled gave Lacey strange looks, but the ones who needed to know what she almost said already knew.

"_I can't do anything about D'Hoffryn's strength." Willow said dejectedly._

"Jiàn tā de guǐ!_" Lacey slammed her fist into the barn wall._

_Willow flinched._

"_Sorry, Will… it's not your fault. It's just… if what Oz said is true, I don't know if we'll be able to take D'Hoffryn without something above and beyond the norm."_

"_I know… look, I understand why you don't want to tell Xander about this, but we need to tell Buffy and Faith."_

_Lacey nodded and turned to lean her back against the wall._

"_Do you want me to go get them?"_

_Lacey shook her head as she closed her eyes and pushed her thoughts toward River. She felt the girls consciousness ghost an acknowledgment across her mind before reopening her eyes, "River will bring them."_

_Five minutes later, the four true Slayers and their witch were gathered in barn. Willow cast a quick spell to make sure they wouldn't be overheard and Lacey explained the situation._

_Unsurprisingly, Faith was the first to speak, "_Tā mā de!_"_

_Buffy just took a deep breath, "You can't weaken him at all, Will?"_

_Willow shook her head sadly, "I haven't been able to find anything."_

"_What about making us stronger?" Faith suggested._

"_Maybe?" Willow shrugged a little helplessly._

_River balanced precariously on her toes on a stall door, "Legion: a vast host, multitude, or number of people or things. Unify: to join; to make or become whole."_

_The other three women stared at the youngest Slayer. A memory was fighting to surface in Buffy's mind._

_Suddenly the blonde gasped. "Adam!"_

_River beamed._

_Faith looked confused, "Adam?"_

_Buffy rushed to explain, "He was a monster created by the Initiative back on earth. We used an enjoining spell to defeat him."_

"So we have a plan." Mal's voice broke through Lacey's thoughts this time.

She nodded exchanged quick glances with Buffy, Faith, River, and Willow before nodding, "We have a plan."

**Translations:**

_Āiyā_ – shit

_Shénme_ – what

_pìgu_ – butt

_Jiàn tā de guǐ_ – damn it/to hell with it

_Tā mā de_ – f***


	15. The Academy

**The Black, May 2520**

Lacey took a deep breath before descending into the cargo bay. Her gaze drifted toward Cole and Jayne, taking turns spotting each other at Jayne's weight bench. They looked up curiously when she stopped in front of them.

"Gentlemen, if you could meet me on the bridge in about 5 minutes, I'd like a word in private."

Jayne looked ready to make a snide comment but Cole lifted a hand to cut him off and nodded at Lacey.

Five minutes later, Jayne was leaning over the back of River's chair, absentmindedly playing with a strand of her hair. Cole stood near the window, gazing out at the stars. Lacey made certain the hall outside was clear before sliding the door shut and nodding thanks when River silently engaged the lock.

Cole heard the lock click into place and turned to face Lacey, "I take it this is rather serious matter?"

Lacey nodded and moved to stand next to him, "I have a job for the two of you, if you're willing."

"We already got a job. Shoot any Alliance that gets in our way." Jayne said.

River smiled sadly, "I have a more specific job."

"We still get to shoot people?"

"Probably."

"What kind of job?"

"Protection."

"And who would we be protecting?" Cole asked.

"Three Slayers and a witch."

"That is rather specific. And why do they need protection?"

Lacey hesitated.

"Success of desolation hinges upon their safety." River offered.

Lacey nodded, "What she said. We have a spell that, in theory, will allow us to defeat the head of the Academy. But those four must remain focused and untouched as long as the spell is in place."

Cole's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "You know who the head of the Academy is?"

Lacey pursed her lips tightly.

"You've been withholding information."

Lacey met Cole's eyes, "It's the only way."

Lacey watched indecision war across the general's face before his expression settled, and she knew he was choosing to trust her.

Cole and Jayne exchanged a long glance, having some sort of silent conversation.

River tilted her face up toward Jayne, "_Shì_. The girl's safety is involved."

"Stay outta my head, Moonbrain." Jayne growled without any real menace.

Jayne nodded at Cole.

Cole turned back to Lacey, "We'll do it."

Lacey sighed in relief, "_Xièxie_."

"Obviously, the witch will be Willow. Which three Slayers will we be responsible for?"

**Ariel, late May 2520**

Lacey crouched near the outer wall of the upper levels of the Academy with rain falling steadily down on her. Xander crouched next to her. She took a deep breath and forced herself to look over at him. She raised a hand to his face and he turned into her touch, his brown eye gazing into her grey ones.

She smiled, briefly, "Xander, I need you to promise me that whatever happens in there, you'll stick to the plan."

He looked confused, "What aren't you telling me Ace?"

Lacey just shook her head, "I'm protecting you."

"Ace…"

"No, Xander. Trust me. This time I really can promise you I'm not leaving. We will both come out of this, but you have to stick to the plan. Promise me."

Xander searched her face, wondering at the near desperation in her voice, and finally nodded, "I do trust you. I promise."

Lacey leaned forward to kiss him gently, "_Wǒ ài nǐ_."

Then she stood and took a few steps back for a running start to vault over the wall, praying that all of this would work but placing her faith in the Slayers, not the Powers that Be. It was the Powers fault all of this was happening in the first place. _Hell, all of this goes well, _Lacey thought, _maybe the next fight we start will be with them._

Lacey landed lightly, noticing other Slayers doing the same all around the courtyard surrounding the Academy's upper levels. Guards were systematically and silently taken out and moments later, wavering portals appeared at various points in the wall, and the rest of the Slayers and their allies poured into the courtyard. Willow was the last one through, Oz barely a step ahead of her, both tense.

Lacey took one last fortifying breath before moving forward, and into the building.

Shepherd Book gasped, "What in the name of all that's holy –"

"There's nothing holy in this place, Preacher." Lacey cut him off coldly.

They had been working their way down one of the lower level corridors. A number of Slayers, werewolves, and even a few vampires had been freed from various areas of the facility. Those who had the mental capacity and desire to help were given weapons. Those who were unable to provide aid (there were none who didn't have the desire) were grouped and escorted back to upper levels. The latest corridor had opened onto the sight before them now.

Metal tables lined the room, blood in varying stages of freshness ringed the drains in the floor. X-Ray and other scanning machines lined the room, many displaying horrific breaks and lacerations. Various brain scans immediately brought back the passionate fury Legacy had felt when Simon first explained what they had done to River's brain.

A very young girl, dark haired and dark skinned, to Lacey's right cringed back from her. Lacey looked at the girl curiously.

Dark eyes looked up to meet her face, "So much rage…" the girl said fearfully.

Another voice somewhere behind Lacey offered, "Mina is an empath."

Lacey nodded understanding and met the girl's, Mina's, eyes, and spoke as gently as she could, "Mina, look closer, _mèimei_. There is rage. But it is _for _you, not _toward_ you."

Mina's face took on a look of great concentration before she nodded and offered Lacey a watery smile. Suddenly, the girl's face paled, "He's angry."

"Who?" Book questioned from Lacey's left.

Lacey answered for Mina, "D'Hoffryn." she bit out savagely. She spun to face the group they had had rescued so far, "Can anyone tell where he is?"

A small voice spoke from somewhere in the back of the group, "He'll be in the inner courtyard in three minutes."

Lacey nodded to the unseen voice, "_Xièxie_." she turned to Book, "Preacher, keep clearing. We're not leaving anyone behind."

"What are you going to do?" Book asked as Lacey prepared to run.

"Make sure we can leave at all." Lacey answered as she sprinted off.

_River, three minutes!_ Lacey thought with all her might as she took the ascending stairs two and three at a time. They had expected D'Hoffryn to be in the lower levels. It was the only reason Lacey had descended in the first place. So she would be closer to her target. It was the reason the other four stayed topside, to remain distant from the battle – safe. Lacey cursed vehemently at the change of plan as she burst into the inner courtyard.

Off to the edge, in a stone gazebo, surrounded by Jayne, Cole, Oz, Robin, Zoe, Spike, and Giles, Willow hovered over Faith, Buffy, and River, who sat in a circle with linked hands.

"_An enjoining spell is… volatile. If we lose focus…" Willow sputtered._

"_Will, I have faith in us. This could work." Lacey said._

_Buffy and Faith looked just as determined. And it had been River's idea._

_Willow sighed, "Fine… then who's going to be what?"_

"_Not like last time. Combine the true powers into one." River said._

_Lacey took only a moment to figure it out, "Us four. Combine the true Slayers."_

_River nodded and began humming to herself._

"_Will, you can invoke the spell, but use the four of us as the components." Lacey clarified._

"_That could pack one hell of a punch." Faith whistled._

"_That's true, but who's going be what?" Willow insisted._

_Everyone was silent._

_Finally, Willow spoke again, tentatively, "I think it should be Legacy."_

"_Which part?" Buffy asked._

"_Manus. The hand. She's got the only one that has connections with each of you. Neither of you has any substantial connection to River yet."_

_Faith and Buffy nodded._

"_Makes sense, but Xan-Man is gonna lose his shit." Faith said._

"_He's not going to know." Lacey said flatly._

_No one questioned her._

Lacey cursed even more creatively when she glimpsed Xander entering the courtyard, a hoard of the rescued students at his back. D'Hoffryn chose that moment to appear in the center of the courtyard, thankfully in his true form. Lacey watched as Xander's eye swept the scene and her heart broke at the horror on his face when it landed on D'Hoffryn.

Before Xander could do anything stupid, Lacey stepped forward to face D'Hoffryn.

The demon sneered at her, "Slayers. Why am I not surprised? It's almost a shame your legacy will be falling in the midst of trying to protect your own kind. It sounds so noble, and I'd so much rather you die humiliated."

Lacey grinned, feral-looking, and was about to answer when D'Hoffryn waved a hand and she went flying back into one of the stone walls surrounding the courtyard.

River's eyes went wide, "Coming!"

Willow gasped, "Already?!"

River nodded, hair flying about her face, "Three minutes."

Willow put the last candle in place and ushered the three Slayers into place.

_Will tilted her head toward Lacey, "If you're the hand, it's best for you to decide what the others are, how they'll be most effective."_

_Lacey nodded and closed her eyes to think for a moment, "Buffy's the heart, she's the first us, she's our lifeblood. Faith is the spirit, her passion won't allow anything else. Most importantly, River is the mind."_

_River whimpered behind her and she turned to face the girl._

_River shook her head with tears in her eyes, "The girl's mind is broken. Brainpan turned to mush."_

_Lacey stepped forward and took the girl's face in her hands, gently wiping away tears with her thumbs, "No, _mèimei_, you are not broken. You are special. You are _zhēnde shì tiāncái_, and I need that. I need to stay a step ahead of D'Hoffryn, and you'll have the three of us to anchor to, _dǒng ma_?"_

_River closed her eyes briefly before opening them again and nodding._

Willow glanced up as Lacey went flying across the courtyard. Spotting Xander, frozen in place with a mix of shock and horror on his face, the witch realized they had to act quickly.

Buffy seemed to read her thoughts, "Uh, Will, not to rush the magics, but Xan is going to do something astronomically stupid if we don't rush the magics."

Willow nodded and lit the last candle before rising to her feet and holding her hands out over the three Slayers,

"_The power of the Slayer and all who wield it.  
>Last to ancient first, we invoke thee.<br>Grant us thy domain and primal strength.  
>Accept us and the power we possess.<br>Make us mind and heart and spirit enjoined.  
>Let the hand encompass us. Do thy will.<br>By the generous will of the Ancients, the almighty power of the Divine Spirits…  
>Your supplicants humbly beseech thee to behold us, and that which we possess…<br>the moieties of the One, the Avatar…  
>Spiritus... spirit.<br>Animus... heart.  
>Sophus... mind.<br>And Manus... the hand.  
>We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel, the hand...<br>daughter of Sineya...  
>first of the ones...<br>We implore thee: Admit us  
>bring us to the vessel!<br>Take us now!  
>We are heart...<br>We are mind...  
>We are spirit...<br>From the raging storm...  
>We bring the power of the Primeval One.<em>"

Lacey landed against the wall with a sickening thud. Her head was spinning as she drug herself to her feet. D'Hoffryn reached her just as she managed to get upright. One of his hands wrapped around her neck and he used it to lift her up and slam her into the wall once again. Spots of light and darkness alternately obscured Lacey's vision as she tried feebly to kick out. D'Hoffryn laughed and let Lacey drop into a pile at his feet. He kicked her in the ribs, sending her slamming back into the wall once more before reaching out and dragging her back to her feet. She leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes as she tried to catch her breath. Without opening her eyes, she turned her head to the side and spat a mouthful of blood.

Then she felt the power flow into her.

"Giving up so soon, Slayer? Which one were you again? I can hardly keep track these days."

Lacey's eyes snapped open, glowing an inhumane yellow, "We are the Slayer. And our legacy will live on. You will not be so fortunate, demon."

D'Hoffryn took an involuntary step back, even as he raised his hand to send her flying again. Legacy raised into the air and flew slightly to the side before alighting back on the feet. She spun on D'Hoffryn and raised her own hand and he flew across the courtyard opposite her.

Just as he slammed into the wall, one of the doors to the Academy opened and guards poured out. Shots flew at her, but none hit their target. An invisible force not only stopped the projectiles, but returned them with greater force. Lacey ignored the guards in favor of D'Hoffryn.

Jayne's grip tightened on Vera and he raised it and fired toward the oncoming guards without a second thought. Lacey had just thrown that creepy lookin' guy across the whole courtyard without even touchin' him, and Jayne didn't quite understand how magic worked, but he knew Lacey bein' able to do that had something to do with the women holding hands in the gazebo behind him. If the guards got to them, the Slayers would lose the battle. But more importantly, if the guards got past him, River could get hurt. He wasn't aimin' to let that happen. He was just beginnin' to realize he liked havin' the _feng le_ girl around, and was even startin' to think he liked having her in his bunk, and he wasn't ready to give her up just yet… even if he didn't know what that meant.

Two guards had made it past the hail of gunfire and were too close to the gazebo for Jayne's liking. He acted like he didn't notice them until they were within arm's length. Suddenly he dropped Vera, letting the strap on his shoulder catch its weight, and spun, drawing Andrew (it was new and he'd named it after the kid that hung around the Slayers' ranch, cause it was kinda goofy lookin', like the kid) from his belt. He wrapped an arm around the first guard's neck and drove the dagger into the man's heart from behind, then used the body to swing at the second guard, knocking him unconscious, before kicking him hard in the head just for good measure. None of the guards dared trying to come too close after that.

D'Hoffryn rose to his feet and lifted a hand toward Lacey, who had made her way across to him. But she was prepared this time and his gesture had no effect.

"You have no power over us, lord of Arashmaharr." Lacey intoned in an eerie multi-layered voice.

In a blink D'Hoffryn vanished, only to reappear just behind Lacey and wrap an arm around her neck. Lacey quickly got a grip on his arm and easily flipped him over her head and sent him slamming, upside down, into the wall once more.

Lacey leaned down and took hold of his robes to haul him to his feet. He suddenly stood straight and lifted both hands and Lacey flew halfway across the courtyard, stumbling slightly as she landed on her feet. D'Hoffryn stalked toward her, gesturing with his hands, as fire leapt up around her. Lacey waved her hands and the fire broke from its circle to fly toward the demon, who dissipated it completely with another gesture.

The demon and the Slayer circled each other slowly. D'Hoffryn leaped toward her suddenly, but Lacey side stepped. He stumbled, and was saved from falling by Lacey's unexpected grip on his arm. Lacey bent quickly to lift the Scythe from where it had fallen when D'Hoffryn first arrived and sent her flying. Rising, she used her grip on the demon's arm to pull him to the side, even as she swung the Scythe toward him. His face barely had time to register the shock before his head was rolling on the ground.

Cheering erupted from all around her and Lacey's gaze swept the edges of the courtyard, where she saw various groups rescued students with their escorts from the Slayers' forces. A smile began to creep onto her face even as she felt the power from the enjoining spell fading and swayed. Then there was just blackness as she collapsed atop the now headless form of D'Hoffryn.

**Translations:**

_Shì_ – Yes

_Xièxie_ – thank you

_Wǒ ài nǐ_ – I love you

_mèimei_ – little sister

_zhēnde shì tiāncái_ – an absolute genius

_dǒng ma_ – understand

_feng le_ – crazy


	16. New Beginnings

**Londinium, June 2520**

"Lord Calbert," Lacey addressed the Master of Parliament.

Heads snapped her direction as her form appeared in the midst of the Parliament session. She chuckled silently at how out of place her leather and weapons looked in the very heart of the Alliance.

Lord Calbert, a tall, rail thin, dignified looking man with slicked back salt and pepper hair peered down at her from his dais even as his guards surrounded him.

Lacey laughed derisively, "If I can walk into the innermost of the Parliament grounds without being detected, what makes you think you could stop me if I chose to ascend that dais?"

The guards tightened their circle, but Calbert waved them off. They backed off reluctantly as he stood. Lacey walked forward until she was at the foot of the dais. Calbert paused at the edge of it.

He spoke down to her, "Then why not ascend?"

"Because I have no intention of harming you, so long as you choose to be reasonable, and I wish to leave you at ease."

"As you said yourself, you walked into the very heart of my palace undetected, forgive me if you gesture of peace feels somewhat cheapened."

Lacey grinned up at him, "As you wish."

"And what is it I'm expected to be reasonable about?"

"How is your investigation into the Academy's destruction progressing?" Lacey asked instead of answering.

Something snapped behind the man's eyes, and his face became guarded, "It was a tragedy. I've many families still enquiring as to the whereabouts or fate of their children."

"That wasn't an answer."

Calbert's jaw set, and Lacey saw the moment he decided to tell the truth, "I'm afraid we've hit a dead end… not that we had many leads initially."

Lacey's grin grew, "As a token of good will, I'd like to solve that mystery for you."

"I do believe we'd appreciate some light shed on that particular situation." Silence fell over the room.

"I plead guilty."

A collective gasp echoed across the room.

"And what become of the students?" Calbert asked, strained, "Their families would like closure, you see… to lose so many exceptionally gifted beings…"

Lacey's grin vanished and rage snapped behind her eyes and her voice held a deadly edge, "Do not presume to play coy with me, Calbert."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

Lacey ascended a few steps, sending the guards scrambling again. She stopped halfway up and rose her eyes to Calbert's, "The Academy 'students' are safely beyond your reach. Closure is necessary for no one but the scientists and guards I left in the Academy when I blew it up."

Calbert paled, "No one… no one knew that."

"It wasn't released to the public, that doesn't mean no one knew."

Fury suddenly contorted Calbert's features and he pushed past his guards, descending the steps until he stood right in front of Lacey, "Where are my students?"

Lacey disregarded the question, "Do you remember when I suggested you be reasonable? Now is the time for that."

Calbert clamped his mouth shut.

"You sought out exceptional beings. Vampires, werewolves, and Slayers. I'm here to warn you not to restart the Academy. We do not take kindly to others meddling in our affairs or manipulating such powers to their own purposes."

"Or what? Why should I be cowed by one little girl?"

Lacey's grin returned ferally. She waved a hand and a shimmering window appeared, displaying her battle with D'Hoffryn. She waved a hand again and the window vanished.

Calbert stared at her wide-eyed.

Lacey stepped closer to him, "Would you like to know a secret about the Slayers? The ones you imprisoned were watered down with only a portion of the true power of a Slayer. The true Slayers can be counted on one hand. And I'm one of them. You think the war against the Independents was bad? Only a few Slayers had a hand in that. If you continue seeking out Slayers and other creatures of power, you will be at war with all Slayers. And you will not win. We are beyond your reach. We are beyond your capability to defeat. We are more powerful than you could ever imagine. And we will no longer stand for power-greedy governments manipulating us.

"If the Academy is reestablished, I will release wave after wave of the experiment vids I found when we raided the Academy. It will be a hundred times worse than Miranda, and you will be able to do nothing to stop me. And that's only the very beginning of the damage I will cause. I will reign hellfire down on the Alliance if you step one toe out of line. Do we have an understanding?"

Trying to cover the look of shocked panic on his face, Calbert nodded, "_Shōudào_."

Lacey nodded, "We'll be watching." Then she vanished.

**Verbena, June 2520**

"Projection was genius, Will!" Laegacy exclaimed as she sat up after coming back into her own body.

Willow shrugged modestly, "It was the safest option."

Xander nodded enthusiastically as he pulled Lacey to her feet, "No way in hell I was letting my girl waltz into the heart of the enemy camp. Especially after that _yúbèn_ stunt with the enjoining spell!"

Lacey grinned, noticing his use of language, "Awh! You're getting it! Told you you'd catch on, _shuài_!"

She stood on tip toe and kissed him on the cheek before sauntering out of the room before he could lecture her again over what the consequences of using the enjoining spell could have been.

"Must you go?" River knew she was pouting, but she couldn't quite bring herself to care.

Vera laughed and pulled the little slip of a girl into a tight embrace, "_Shì_, little one."

River had grown rather attached to the Cobb clan and was remiss to see them leave, "The girl will be lonely."

Vera tilted River's face up toward her, "Girl, you listen good, you still got your crew, and now you've got all these Slayer girls. They're good folk and good company. They'll take care 'a ya."

River nodded solemnly, "_Wǒ zhīdào_."

Ver grinned, "I'd take ya with me if I didn't need to know someone was keepin' an eye on Jayne."

River grinned back, "He takes so much looking after."

Vera laughed heartily as the topic of their conversation approached.

"What're ya jackin' yer jaws 'bout?" Jayne asked.

Vera shook her head slyly, "_Bùyàojǐn_. Girl was just sayin' she's gonna miss us is all."

Jayne turned to River, "That all, Crazy?"

River nodded.

"Awh, hell, girl, if that's all, don't you worry. I'll take ya ta visit the whole lot 'a 'em. Even them _húndàns_ I call brothers." Jayne winked even as Vera swatted his arm.

River beamed up at him, "_Zhen_?"

"'Course."

River leaped up and threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek, "_Xièxie_!" And then she skipped off to find Mattie, leaving Jayne blushing and Vera laughing.

**The Black, July 2520**

Mal leaned back in the pilot's chair.

"What's on your mind, Cap?"

Mal jumped at Lacey's voice. He hadn't even heard the woman join him on the bridge, "_Gāisǐ de_, woman! I'm gonna start makin' you and River both wear bells!"

Lacey laughed, "_Duìbùqǐ_, Cap."

Mal shook his head.

"You sure you're okay with this new arrangement?"

Mal looked at her incredulously, "Why in the 'Verse wouldn't I be?"

Lacey shrugged. After the Academy, the Council recruiting _Serenity_ had been a no-brainer. The Firefly-class transport was now officially tasked with tracking and retrieving minis, in addition to the occasional supply run and monster hunt.

Mal's face softened a bit, "Me and my crew get steady pay, we're actually doin' the 'Verse some good, and we still get to stick it to the Alliance. I'm a happy man, little one."

Lacey laughed, "Not to mention the Alliance can't touch you, even if you emptied the septic over Parliament on Londinium."

Mal laughed with her, "Now there's an idea."

**Translations:**

_Shōudào_ – message received

_yúbèn_ – stupid/foolish

_shuài_ – handsome

_Shì_ – yes

_Wǒ zhīdào_ – I know

_Bùyàojǐn_ – doesn't matter

_húndàns_ – bastards

_Zhen_ – Really/truly

_Xièxie_ – thank you

_Gāisǐ de_ – damn it

_Duìbùqǐ_ – I'm sorry


	17. More?

So... I'm considering writing a very Xander-centric companion piece to this **if** anyone would be interested in reading it. Sound off below or here!


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